Last week, Kemi Badenoch delivered an impromptu speech on national security that was so hastily organized that even a Conservative Party press officer was unaware it was taking place. In her address, the Tory leader urged Sir Keir Starmer to enhance spending on defense, only for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to announce an increase in defense spending almost immediately after she concluded her remarks. The situation further deteriorated for Badenoch when Donald Trump endorsed the Chagos deal, a policy she had spent months criticizing. For many weary Tories, these missteps reflect a party machinery that appears to be in disarray, underscoring the challenging reality of life in opposition.
“Morale is low,” a senior party insider confided to The i Paper. “In opposition, you often feel irrelevant, making it difficult to engage people in our message.” Indeed, some insiders feel that certain members of the Shadow Cabinet have yet to grasp the challenges of being outside government, with one shadow minister lamenting that the press was not giving them enough attention. “Many in the Shadow Cabinet have never experienced opposition, so they lack the understanding of how to compete for media coverage,” the source revealed.
Among the arguments being floated by Conservative insiders is that Badenoch is doing her utmost under constrained circumstances. Following a historic defeat, the party is not only grappling with low morale but is also facing a financial crunch, as donations have nearly dried up. Party leaders have also executed two rounds of redundancies in an effort to cut costs. However, these cutbacks mean that the Tories are attempting to hold the government accountable with a significantly reduced staff. “There’s no doubt that being in opposition means limited funds, and that leads to layoffs,” the source added.
Another insider remarked, “CCHQ is operating with bare-bones resources at this point. One press officer is managing five different briefs. Our lack of a robust Conservative Research Department (CRD) means we’re struggling to provide compelling stories to the media, as there’s minimal research being conducted.”
Many believe that the current state of the party’s finances is worse than during its bleak days following the 1997 and 2001 elections, amid the height of New Labour’s dominance. “It’s worse now,” another senior Tory asserted. “The number of MPs has decreased significantly, and as a result, the ‘short money’—funds allocated to opposition parties for parliamentary duties—is substantially less. With only 121 MPs, we receive only that amount of funding.”
Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University of London and author of The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation, echoed the sentiment that the situation is more challenging than in previous eras. “After 1997, there were still prominent figures left in the party; Portillo may have departed, but other big personalities remained, providing a wider talent pool for the front bench,” Bale noted. “Additionally, William Hague didn’t face the challenge of a party to his right, unlike Badenoch, who is contending with parties like Ukip and the Reform Party.”
However, Bale contended that Badenoch’s leadership is a significant factor in the party’s current predicament. “She seems to be embodying the fears many had initially—becoming extremely hardline and fixated on cultural issues, rather than addressing the various weaknesses of the government,” he added.
This assessment is shared by some within the party, who believe that Badenoch’s shortcomings are discouraging potential donors from contributing. “People are growing frustrated with Kemi’s absence at events,” one insider remarked. “She missed a recent conference in the South West, and local councillors were openly discussing their disappointment.”
“You can’t afford to be both ineffective and disengaged. If you work hard, you earn goodwill,” the insider continued.
In her absence, rivals for leadership, including Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, and party chair Nigel Huddleston, represented the party at the conference, raising eyebrows among some members. A source from Badenoch’s office clarified that it’s impractical for the leader to attend every regional conference, noting that the party chair typically fills in when necessary. “Kemi has been actively visiting different regions every week in 2025, campaigning and engaging with party members. She attended the Cheshire conference before the recess and has been campaigning with mayoral candidates in Yorkshire and the West of England,” the source explained. They also mentioned that Badenoch is currently in Northern Ireland for engagements this weekend.
Concerns regarding her Shadow Cabinet appointments are widespread, particularly the decision to appoint Priti Patel as Shadow Foreign Secretary. Badenoch has already had to publicly admonish Patel after she defended her tenure as Home Secretary while net migration surged by 1.2 million during her time in office.
“When she was appointed, many were taken aback,” an insider admitted. “There were advisors close to Kemi who suggested she should have dismissed Priti recently. Starmer’s strategy was shrewd; if you lack compelling policy, you can use different tactics to differentiate yourself from the Corbyn years. His decision to remove Rebecca Long-Bailey sent a powerful signal.”
Yet, some sympathize with Badenoch’s challenges. Inheriting a party machine that is struggling and depleted of ideas after 14 years in power presents an immense challenge for the new leader, especially with figures like Jenrick and the ever-controversial Boris Johnson looming in the background. “CCHQ is in complete disarray. It’s fundamentally broken,” lamented a former Tory government advisor. “Fixing it is one of the most critical tasks ahead.”
As for Jenrick, Badenoch cannot publicly criticize his aggressive tactics, as doing so would highlight her own inability to lead similarly. But with so much on her plate, she may have no choice but to allow him to continue his approach.
Other prominent Tories, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, have even suggested that Johnson should run in the anticipated by-election in Runcorn, following the suspension of Labour’s MP Mike Amesbury. The implication is that there remains a faction within the party that sees Johnson as a potential remedy to the challenges posed by Farage and the Reform UK party, which has consistently outperformed the Tories in recent polls.
For now, there appears to be “no appetite for regicide,” as one Tory MP put it this week. However, another backbencher ominously noted, “Tory MPs are not renowned for their patience.”
