Half of Conservative Members Oppose Kemi Badenoch Leading Party into Next Election.

An exclusive poll for Sky News has revealed deep divisions within the Conservative Party over Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, with half of all Tory members (50%) saying she should not lead the party into the next general election.

The survey found that only 46% of members want Badenoch to remain in place, while 49% believe she could be replaced before the polls. The findings come as Badenoch faces her first Conservative Party conference as leader amid growing concerns about the party’s electoral future.

According to the poll, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick currently enjoys the strongest backing among potential successors, holding a seven-point lead over Badenoch among members when asked who they would prefer to lead the party.

The mood within the party appears pessimistic: just 14% of respondents believe the Conservatives will win a majority at the next election, while 34% expect the party to finish second.
Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of members said they would support forming an electoral pact with Reform UK, highlighting fears of a possible right-wing split that could weaken the Conservatives further.

Sky News’ Chief Political Correspondent John Craig described the findings as “brutal for Kemi Badenoch,” noting that they reflect “a mood of gloom” among MPs who fear “a near wipe-out by Reform UK.”

If you’re in the UK illegally you will be detained and deported — Kemi Badenoch Unveils “Radical Borders Plan”.

UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has unveiled what she calls the “toughest reforms Britain has ever seen” on immigration, announcing a sweeping new plan aimed at tightening border controls and expelling illegal migrants more rapidly.

In a video message shared on her official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Badenoch launched a new Removals Force, modelled on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, tasked with deporting 150,000 illegal migrants every year.

“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” she declared. Dubbed the “Radical Borders Plan,” the proposal includes a series of hardline measures: banning asylum claims from illegal entrants, withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), repealing the Human Rights Act, and fast-tracking deportations within one week.

The plan also calls for visa sanctions on countries that refuse to take back their citizens. Badenoch sharply criticised previous Conservative and Labour governments for what she described as decades of failure on immigration policy. She accused Labour of record illegal crossings and mismanagement of taxpayer funds spent on asylum accommodation.

“Successive governments have failed on immigration,” she said. “Labour promised to smash the gangs. Instead, in just a year, they delivered record small boat crossings — over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, and billions wasted. It’s pure weakness.”

The Conservative leader argued that her proposed reforms would “shut down the asylum hotel racket,” save billions of pounds in public spending, and restore public trust in the country’s border system.

“Only the Conservatives have a serious, credible plan to deliver stronger borders,” Badenoch concluded. “If you come here illegally, you will be deported.”

Debt crisis: French government collapses after PM Bayrou Ousted in Confidence Vote.

France’s Prime Minister François Bayrou has been removed from office after losing a parliamentary confidence vote over his controversial austerity budget, leaving President Emmanuel Macron in search of a replacement.

Bayrou, who had served for nine months, linked his government’s survival to approval of a €44bn ($52bn) spending cut plan aimed at curbing France’s record debt, nearly twice the EU deficit limit.

Ahead of the vote, he warned lawmakers: “You have the power to bring down the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality. Reality will remain relentless: expenses will continue to rise, and the burden of debt, already unbearable, will grow heavier and more costly.”

The National Assembly, however, rejected his proposal by 364 to 194 votes. According to Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, “For Bayrou, this is a crushing defeat,” noting that both left and far-right lawmakers condemned the cuts as unjust, while even some conservatives abandoned him.

At 74, Bayrou is now the sixth prime minister under Macron since 2017, and the second within a year to fall to a confidence vote after Michel Barnier. His ouster deepens Macron’s challenges amid domestic unrest and ongoing international negotiations over Ukraine.

Opposition figures quickly reacted. Jean-Luc Mélenchon declared: “Macron is now on the front line facing the people. He too must go.” Marine Le Pen called it “the end of the agony of a phantom government” and demanded fresh elections.

Analysts argue Macron’s path forward is narrow. Hugo Drochon of the University of Nottingham observed: “Either he goes again for somebody from the centre-right party … or he reaches out to the socialists,” but either way, major concessions will be unavoidable.

Meanwhile, unions are gearing up for strikes and protests, piling on the pressure. As Butler concluded: “He’s not got many good choices. In fact, most of his choices are bad ones.”

Newsbrief: UK Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch Hits Back At Racial Attacks

UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch says she has faced “hysterical” and racially charged criticism since emerging as Tory leader. She noted that some detractors claim her rise was due to diversity policies rather than merit.

Badenoch condemned the attacks as rooted in prejudice, stressing that she earned her position through hard work. She also dismissed talk of Robert Jenrick replacing her, calling it “sore loser” politics.

Despite the backlash and her party’s slump in polls, she vowed to keep the Conservatives relevant, warning that rivals like Reform UK only offer disruption.
#KemiBadenoch #UKPolitics #Racism #Conservatives