Kemi Badenoch has made it clear she would rather trigger another general election than enter a power-sharing coalition with Reform UK.
Speaking to the BBC as the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham wraps up, the Tory leader dismissed any prospect of a deal with Nigel Farage’s party. Polling suggests the next election could result in a hung parliament. Under that scenario, Labour might emerge as the largest party, with the Tories and Reform trailing behind.
But even if a deal with Reform could secure her a path to government, Badenoch said she would not take it.
“If you want Conservative, you have to vote Conservative,” she said. “I have said we’d have another election if there was no overall majority.”
Reform Scandals and Voter Recruitment
Badenoch went further, describing Reform UK as a party “neck deep in scandal.” She argued that teaming up with them would lead to “one problem after another.”
To back up her point, she pointed to several recent controversies surrounding Reform figures:
- Dan Thomas, the former Reform leader in Wales, resigned last month after being arrested on suspicion of assault and coercive behavior. He has denied any wrongdoing.
- Another former Welsh leader for the party, Nathan Gill, was sentenced to over ten years in prison after admitting he accepted bribes for pro-Russia interviews.
- Nigel Farage himself has faced questions over a £5 million gift from a billionaire donor, though he maintains he did nothing wrong.
The Conservatives are currently trying to rebuild after their historic defeat in 2024. Polls show their support hovering around 20 percent. To win back voters who jumped ship to Reform, Badenoch recently published “The Right Way,” a 100-page document aimed at returning the Tories to their traditional roots.
She admitted the political environment is volatile but insisted the party can win again. “We are going back to the authentic Conservative Party, that people knew and loved,” she told the BBC.
New Policy Focus on Youth Employment
Beyond party politics, Badenoch also announced a shift in economic policy aimed at younger workers. She proposed cutting the rate of employer National Insurance (NI) contributions from 15 percent to 7.5 percent for employees aged 21 to 24.
This proposal replaces a previous Tory plan called the “First Job Bonus.” That policy would have redirected the first £5,000 of NI into a savings account for young workers, at an estimated cost of £2.8 billion a year.
Badenoch argued the focus must change because youth unemployment has surged. “You can’t give people a first jobs bonus if they’re not getting a first job,” she said. The new tax cut is designed to make hiring young adults cheaper for businesses and smooth out the sudden jump in tax rates when a worker turns 21.