Kemi Badenoch’s Popularity Hits New Low As Tory Crisis Deepens

Kemi Badenoch’s popularity has hit a new low as she struggles to turn around the Tories’ fortunes, according to a new poll.

The Ipsos survey shows that just 17% of the public have a favourable view towards her.

That is the lowest ever recorded for her by the pollster, and a worse rating than both Boris Johnson (26%) and Rishi Sunak (21%).

Meanwhile, 49% of voters have an unfavourable view of her, giving her a net score of minus 32.

The most popular politician in the country, according to the poll, is Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has a favourability rating of 31%.

Boris Johnson is second, followed by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey on 25% and Keir Starmer on 23%.

Robert Jenrick, who Badenoch beat to the Tory leadership last year, has a favourability rating of just 16%, the same as chancellor Rachel Reeves.

In a further blow for Badenoch, just 20% of the public have a favourable view of the Conservative Party, putting them behind Reform, the Greens, the Lib Dems and Labour.

The Tories’ unfavourability rating of 56% is also far worse than any of their rival’s.

The findings come after a YouGov poll earlier this week put the Tories in fourth place behind Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK Politics at Ipsos, said: “While Labour has seen a slight bump in favourability, most people still think the country is heading in the wrong direction and are critical of the prime minister and chancellor.

“In contrast, Nigel Farage and his party continue to be buoyed by very high approval ratings among their own base, even though they are more divisive among Labour, Lib Dem and Green supporters.

“The Conservatives, though, face perhaps the toughest picture, with Kemi Badenoch’s rating dipping to its lowest level as Conservative leader and the party’s overall favourability continuing to be the lowest of any party polled.

“The Conservatives are finding it particularly difficult to rebuild after their losses in the 2024 election, but both the main two parties are struggling with public disillusionment with the established political order, and a potential appetite for alternative voices in British politics from both sides of the spectrum.”

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‘Rewards For Failure’: Fury Erupts After Rishi Sunak Hands Gongs To Top Tories

Rishi Sunak has been accused of giving “rewards for failure” after he handed out gongs to senior Tories in his resignation honours list.

Michael Gove, Mark Harper and Alister Jack are among the former cabinet ministers given seats for life in the House of Lords by the former prime minister.

He also awarded knighthoods to James Cleverly, Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps, Mel Stride and Andrew Mitchell.

In all, Sunak – who led the Conservatives to a landslide general election defeat last year – gave honours to 11 current and former Tory MPs, 18 former Tory advisers, two Tory councillors and the party’s former chief executive.

He also awarded a knighthood to former England cricketer James Anderson and the filmmaker Matthew Vaughn.

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “These political nominations look like an ID parade of political flunkies whose fingerprint of failure are still felt on family finances.

“They are rewards for the failure of a dreadful Conservative government that was rightly kicked out of office.

“Millions of hard working families were fed up after years of Conservative chaos culminating in a cost of living crisis, and public services on their knees.

“The fact that Rishi Sunak has dished out honours to his mates after all the damage they did is yet more proof of how out of touch the Conservatives still are.”

Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “Trust in our politics has slumped to record lows in recent years. Yet today the public is again witnessing the spectacle of a former prime minster stuffing even more friends and allies into the already ludicrously bloated House of Lords – handing each one a job for life in parliament.

“This business-as-usual ‘jobs for mates’ approach at Westminster will do nothing to arrest that alarming collapse in public trust.”

The reaction was no more positive on social media.

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All the amazing, tireless and often unappreciated public servants and national heroes that Prime Ministers meet on a daily basis, and Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours and peerages list looks like this:

18 x former Tory advisers
11 x Tory and former Tory MPs
2 x Tory councillors…

— Ben Kentish (@BenKentish) April 11, 2025

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All the amazing, tireless and often unappreciated public servants and national heroes that Prime Ministers meet on a daily basis, and Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours and peerages list looks like this:

18 x former Tory advisers
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2 x Tory councillors…

— Ben Kentish (@BenKentish) April 11, 2025

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Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list and the usual titles handed out to underwhelming politicians.

Time this nonsense stopped.

— Mike Pav (@CharlieBunyan) April 11, 2025

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Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list and the usual titles handed out to underwhelming politicians.

Time this nonsense stopped.

— Mike Pav (@CharlieBunyan) April 11, 2025