Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
John Crace

Kemi Badenoch smiles from the stump as she heads towards oblivion

Kemi Badenoch speaks into a microphone as Mel Stride looks on
Kemi Badenoch on the South Bank in London on Thursday morning. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

It’s common knowledge that Kemi Badenoch is not an early morning person. Or an any time of morning person. Look at her in the wrong way and you’re likely to catch an earful.

So it must have taken a lot of persuading from Conservative central office to get her out and about at 9am. But needs must. All week it has been Reform setting the news agenda, with three press conferences in as many days, and the Tories have barely had a look in. You could almost have forgotten that, for the time being, at any rate, the Conservatives are still the official opposition. Their relevance diminishes by the day.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.