Kemi Badenoch, who took the helm of Britain’s Conservative Party in 2024 following a significant electoral defeat, faces mounting challenges as she seeks to rebuild the party ahead of the next general election. Delivering a keynote address at the Conservative annual conference in Birmingham on Wednesday, Badenoch emphasized her party’s position on key issues but acknowledged the difficulties posed by voter sentiment and competing right-wing forces.

Despite Badenoch’s rising personal approval, the Conservative Party remains behind in opinion polls compared to both the governing Labour Party under Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the right-wing Reform U.K. party, led by Nigel Farage. Reform U.K., which has encountered recent scrutiny over financial matters, continues to hold an estimated 22 percent support in polls—approximately five points higher than the Conservatives.

Political analysts suggest that the fragmentation on the right could benefit Labour in the forthcoming election, which must be held by 2029 but could be called earlier. Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University of London, noted that Farage has yet to abandon hopes of undermining the Conservative Party and that Badenoch appears unwilling to enter into any electoral alliance with Reform before the vote.

In her speech, Badenoch rejected calls for a right-wing coalition, citing ongoing police investigations into Reform U.K.’s finances. “To those who say ‘unite the right,’ we are not uniting with that,” she stated. She also addressed issues of national identity, criticizing debates over whether her mixed-race children are considered English—a point that has gained attention following recent remarks by Suella Braverman, a Reform lawmaker and former Conservative, who denied identifying as English in an ethnic sense.

While distancing her party from Reform U.K., Badenoch sought to attract some of its voters by advocating for stricter immigration policies, welfare reductions, and a relaxation of climate change targets. She proposed lower taxes, cuts to government intervention, and reductions in inheritance tax, framing these policies as responsible governance contrasting with Labour’s approach. “Spending money we don’t have on things we cannot afford is not kind, it is reckless,” she argued.

Within Conservative ranks, the mood at the conference was cautiously optimistic. The party showcased a satirical "Birmingham Tapestry," mocking opponents including Farage, who was depicted as a frustrated child amid investigations into a £5 million donation.

Despite some Conservative supporters hoping for sustained difficulties for Farage and Burnham alike, others urge the party to monitor right-wing digital networks closely and steer their dialogue constructively. Lucy Harris, a Conservative member with past ties to the Brexit Party, emphasized the need to engage with Reform and Restore Britain supporters online.

Badenoch’s rightward shift in policy to reclaim Reform voters risks alienating moderate Conservatives, some of whom have gravitated toward the Liberal Democrats. Notably, Reform U.K. has absorbed former Conservative MP Robert Jenrick, Badenoch’s past leadership rival.

For the time being, Badenoch faces no significant challengers within the party. Relations between senior figures in the Conservatives and Reform remain strained, and while a formal alliance seems improbable, analysts caution that political pressures before an election might prompt cooperation if it would deliver a combined parliamentary majority.