Kemi Badenoch Reveals She Joined Conservatives for Social Reasons
In a candid interview on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch shared that she initially joined the party for the “party aspect of it—socialising, drinks, hanging out with other young people.”
A Fun Start to Political Life
After university, Badenoch found that many of her friends had “gone all over the world,” and she saw joining the Conservatives as “a fun thing to do.” She even met her husband through her party membership, dedicating her record pick, Wet Wet Wet’s Love is All Around, to him.
Steadying the Tory Ship
The interview was recorded a week after three high-profile Conservatives, including former minister Robert Jenrick, defected to Reform UK. When asked how she would steady the Tory ship, Badenoch said:
“I think defections are part of the ship being steadied. And while it is always sad to lose people who used to be on the team, losing people who were not team players and were more focused about their own personal ambition rather than the country’s ambition is actually helpful for showing what kind of party we are.”
Challenges and Long-Term Strategy
Badenoch took over leadership of the Conservatives in 2024 following the party’s worst-ever general election defeat. Since then, her party has fallen in the opinion polls, being overtaken by Reform UK, and suffered significant defeats in the 2025 local elections.
Despite these challenges, Badenoch remains optimistic. She emphasized that the Conservative Party has been around for over 200 years and her mission is “to make sure that we didn’t just disappear.” She added that she has a “long-term strategy” to win back voters but acknowledged there would be “setbacks in between.”
“Quite often, the thing you’re doing for the long term is not that helpful in the short term,” she said.
Music Choices Reflect Personal Journey
Badenoch’s musical choices for the programme offered further insights into her personality and experiences. She selected The Story of Tonight from the musical Hamilton, which reminded her of her first run for the Conservative Party leadership in 2022.
“I had a group of friends, a renegade group of junior ministers, who had all resigned because we were so frustrated that the politics wasn’t working,” she recalled. “They said you’ve got to stand, you’re the only one that would do well and we will support you.”
She also picked Baz Luhrmann’s Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen), noting that the 1997 spoken word song contained advice that was still “relevant” and was “very sympathetic to politicians.”
An Essex Girl at Heart
Badenoch began her parliamentary career when she won the Essex seat of Saffron Walden for the Conservatives in 2017. Asked how she managed to convince local Conservatives to select her as their candidate despite having no links to the area, she said:
“They tell me that I was funny, I was very honest, I wasn’t trying to be something I wasn’t. I started off by saying I could pretend that my family has been here since, you know, the Battle of Hastings, but I don’t think anyone here would believe me—and they just burst out laughing. They said later on that this is someone who’s just herself. And Essex is like that. Essex is very much my personality—I call myself an Essex girl.”
Family Influence on Her Political Path
Badenoch’s father, who passed away in 2022, was proud of her political career, telling her, “I know you’re going to go all the way.” In contrast, her mother had a dim view of politics, asking, “Why would you do this… you’ve got a good job… why do you want to go into this horrible career.”
Looking Ahead
As Badenoch navigates the challenges facing the Conservative Party, her candid insights into her personal and political journey offer a glimpse into her resilience and determination. With a long-term strategy in place, she aims to rebuild the party’s fortunes and ensure its continued relevance in British politics.
