Kemi Badenoch, leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, has emerged as the most popular party leader, according to a recent poll, with the public responding positively to her direct style.
Born in London and having spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, Badenoch has seen a notable rise in approval, overtaking Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in public ratings.
The survey conducted by More in Common reported Badenoch with a net approval rating of -9, a dramatic improvement from -32 before her party conference in October. She ranks ahead of Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey at -11 and Farage at -16.
Badenoch also surpasses Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who has a net rating of -16, despite gains for his party, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who trails all four major leaders at -42.
The poll indicates that Badenoch’s recent high-profile interventions—such as challenging the PM over Angela Rayner’s tax issues and the Peter Mandelson controversy—have strengthened her public standing.
However, the Conservative Party itself has not yet seen a corresponding boost in overall support, the survey suggests. While Badenoch lags Farage in perceptions of leadership strength, she scores higher on attributes like public concern and transparency.
Luke Tryl, UK director of More in Common, noted that her recognition has increased significantly: “Whereas last summer we ran focus groups where no one knew who Kemi was, she is now frequently mentioned spontaneously. Even some who would never vote Tory admire her conviction and straightforwardness.”
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