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Tory bid to oust Badenoch 'inevitable' after latest polls
The Independent
|May 25, 2025
Kemi Badenoch is facing an inevitable leadership challenge, Boris Johnson's former director of communications has warned, amid reports that the Tory party is plotting to oust her.
Guto Harri, who worked for Mr Johnson during his time in No 10, also warned the Conservatives against selecting front-runner Robert Jenrick as their next leader, dubbing him a “pale imitation” of Reform UK.
It comes after The Independent revealed that Tory MPs are plotting to remove Mrs Badenoch as panic grows over the future of the party following Reform’s success in the local elections and continued disastrous results in the polls.
Meanwhile, The Times reported that Tory association chairmen are considering a confidence motion against the Tory leader, which could mimic the pressure placed on former prime minister Theresa May to quit in 2019.
This story is from the May 25, 2025 edition of The Independent.
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