UK poll ranks Kemi Badenoch most popular party leader

Leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has become the most popular political party leader as the public warms to her straight talking, a poll has revealed.

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Badenoch, who was born in London and spent part of her early years in Nigeria, has seen a significant boost to her popularity in recent months, surpassing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in approval ratings.

The survey by More in Common revealed Mrs Badenoch has a net approval rating of minus 9, a remarkable change of fortunes for the Tory leader, who had a minus 32 net rating ahead of her party conference in October.

She is ahead of Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, on minus 11, and Mr Farage, on minus 16, the survey by pollsters More In Common found.

Kemi is also ahead of Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who sits on minus 16 despite his party seeing an upturn in the polls. And Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is behind all four major party leaders on a lowly minus 42.

The rating suggests a string of recent interventions have helped solidify Mrs Badenoch’s position, including her challenge to the PM over Angela Rayner’s tax affairs and the Peter Mandelson scandal.

However, the Conservative Party is yet to benefit from its leader’s boost in popularity, the poll suggests.

Mrs Badenoch still trails Mr Farage on metrics, including strength and being a leader, but she scores higher on other measures, such as caring about the public and transparency.

Luke Tryl, UK director of More In Common, said that Mrs Badenoch’s name recognition has also improved.

He told The Sunday Times: ‘Whereas last summer we’d run whole focus groups where no one would know who Kemi was, she is often now brought up spontaneously, and even some of those who would never vote Tory say they admire her conviction and straightforwardness.’