Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, appeared unusually relaxed at a campaign event on London's South Bank, despite her party's dwindling relevance in the polls. The early-morning gathering, which took place outdoors on a chilly late October morning, featured a small crowd waving banners and shadow chancellor Mel Stride speaking to reporters. The event was seen as a sign of the Tories' diminished standing, with Reform UK dominating the news agenda all week.
Stride, who served as a minister under Rishi Sunak, attempted to rally support by criticising Labour's spending record, despite having overseen increased benefits spending himself. The crowd's lacklustre response highlighted the party's struggle to generate enthusiasm. Badenoch, who arrived after Stride's speech, smiled and appeared chipper, seemingly relieved that her leadership is not facing immediate internal challenges.
Badenoch seized on the overnight story of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's failure to obtain a licence for her rental property, calling it a 'brain-dead blunder'. However, the Tories remain only two points ahead of fifth place in opinion polls, with many voters unwilling to forgive the party for past failures. Some Conservatives see Badenoch as a potential saviour, but the path to electoral recovery appears steep.
