In a striking rebuke of her Conservative predecessors, UK Prime Minister Kemi Badenoch plans to condemn the “mistakes” made by Theresa May and Boris Johnson on key issues like Brexit, climate change, and immigration. The criticism comes as Nigel Farage’s upstart Reform UK party is seeing a major surge in popularity.
Acknowledging Conservative Failures
Badenoch will reportedly “acknowledge the Conservative party made mistakes” under the previous two prime ministers in a forthcoming speech aimed at rebuilding public trust in her party. The relatively new Tory leader faces stiff competition from Reform UK, which has been siphoning off disaffected Conservative voters.
Brexit Blunders
One major misstep Badenoch will highlight is the Tories’ handling of Brexit. She contends that May and Johnson pursued withdrawal from the EU without a concrete plan to boost economic growth outside the bloc. Economists widely attribute the UK’s anemic growth in recent years to the fallout from Brexit.
The truth about the mistakes we made. The truth about the problems we face. And the truth about the actions we must take to get ourselves out of this mess.
– Kemi Badenoch
Climate Critique
The prime minister will also take aim at the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a goal enshrined in law under Theresa May. Badenoch, who has described such climate targets as “unilateral economic disarmament,” argues that her predecessors failed to provide a clear roadmap to reach net zero.
Immigration Inconsistency
On immigration, Badenoch will criticize the Tories’ unkept promises to curb migration after Brexit. Despite a 2019 Conservative manifesto pledge to lower immigration numbers, net migration has skyrocketed in the post-Brexit period – reaching a record 685,000 in 2023.
“These mistakes were made because we told people what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later,” Badenoch will assert in her speech. “That is going to stop under my leadership.” She believes politicians across the spectrum have not been forthright with the public about the complex challenges facing the country.
Difficult Truths
While the prime minister’s brutal honesty may be a bitter pill for some in her own party to swallow, Badenoch insists it is necessary medicine. “If we are going to turn our country around, we’re going to have to say some things that aren’t easy to hear,” she will argue. Her diagnosis is that “generations of leaders and entire ranks of senior managers have been trying and failing for a long time.”
The Conservative leader’s scathing assessment of her party’s recent past marks a clear attempt to distance herself from the tainted tenures of May and Johnson. By owning up to their failures and vowing a new approach, Badenoch hopes to claw back the Tory voters flocking to Farage’s banner. But the mea culpa also carries risk, as it highlights the very missteps that have driven so many into Reform UK’s arms.
As Badenoch braces to deliver some hard truths to her compatriots, the key question is whether this gambit to restore faith in the Conservatives will succeed – or simply underscore why that faith has been so badly shaken. With the insurgent Reform UK breathing down her neck, the prime minister’s margin for error is razor-thin.
