Senior Conservatives Plot Ousting Kemi Badenoch to Reinstate Boris Johnson

Senior Conservative Party insiders and former MPs are engaged in a covert effort to reinstate Boris Johnson as Tory leader, aiming to replace Kemi Badenoch amid declining poll numbers that have seen the party fall to fourth place behind the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK. The move is driven by fears within the party that under Badenoch's leadership, the Tories risk extinction and being overtaken by Reform UK, with polls suggesting Johnson is the best candidate to challenge Nigel Farage and revive Tory fortunes. Despite internal divisions, including some MPs sharpening knives against Badenoch, her former Cabinet colleague Michael Gove has publicly defended her leadership. Concurrently, grassroots Conservative activists and association chairmen are considering a confidence motion against Badenoch, reflecting deep dissatisfaction and concern over the party’s local election performance and activist morale. The party faces internal turmoil as it struggles to articulate clear values and strategy, with critics likening recent meetings to ineffective management lectures while electoral losses mount. The combined pressure from senior figures and grassroots members underscores a growing crisis in Tory leadership and direction ahead of upcoming elections.