Kemi Badenoch has expressed optimism that the Conservatives will reclaim the London councils of Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet in the May 7 local elections, describing them as former 'crown jewels' lost to Labour in 2022. In an interview with The Standard, she highlighted the close contests between the Tories and Reform UK in Bexley and Bromley, and criticised Nigel Farage for being 'triumphant' before polling day after he claimed Reform would win Havering.
Badenoch also addressed rising antisemitism, calling it 'fashionable' at dinner parties in London and elsewhere. She described Golders Green as the 'frontline' of the issue, following a double stabbing last week, and pressed for a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches, which she said were 'more anti-Jewish than they are pro-Palestine'. She stressed that Jewish people in Britain are 'under siege', partly blaming the Tehran regime, with MI5 and counter-terrorism police thwarting 20 Iran-linked terror plots in a year.
The Tory leader urged voters to back the Conservatives to prevent Reform UK gains, pointing to 'chaos' Reform created in Kent, including council tax hikes after promising cuts. She acknowledged the shift from a two-party to a multi-party system, which she said changes electoral thresholds, as local government expert Tony Travers predicts the Tories may lose around 100 more seats from their 2022 total of just over 400.
