Politics · 25 January 2026
Kemi Badenoch Says She Initially Joined Tories for Parties
Chris McAndrew via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch stated she initially joined the Conservatives for the social aspect, including parties and socializing. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Badenoch mentioned that after university, she saw it as a “fun thing to do” after her friends had moved away. She became leader in 2024 after the party's worst general election defeat. Badenoch also acknowledged the party's past immigration policy was flawed and has addressed defections to Reform UK.
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