Kemi Badenoch releases defiant New Year’s message but concedes Tories may face ‘bumpy recovery’

“Things may be bumpy along the way, but the party I now lead is going to do things differently. Watch this space.”

The no-nonsense North West Essex MP echoed the sentiments behind her 2024 Tory leadership bid after the Conservative Party slumped to its worst result since 1906.

Badenoch’s campaign was called “Renewal 230” and it vowed to address the core principles before turning any attention to policy.

The 44-year-old narrowly edged out ex-Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick in the members’ run-off, securing around 56.5 per cent of the vote from the Tory grassroots.

Badenoch received a welcome boost earlier this week after an MRP poll suggested the Tories had eaten into Labour’s whopping majority.

More in Common suggested that the Conservative rump would likely increase from just 121 MPs to 222 if a General Election was held today, with Labour collapsing from 411 to just 228.

However, Reform UK would also make major inroads following the post-July shift.

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Nigel Farage, who released his own New Year’s message earlier today, would likely see his quintet of MPs surge into a 72-strong band of Reformers.

There has been no love lost between Farage and Badenoch since the Brexit-backing former Business Secretary succeeded Rishi Sunak as Tory leader in November.

Farage and Badenoch locked horns after Reform UK claimed its membership had soared past the total number of paid-up Tories on Boxing Day.

After surpassing the 131,680-member milestone, Reform UK projected a message on Conservative Campaign Headquarters in Westminster.

Badenoch appeared infuriated by the claim, accusing Farage of “manipulating” his supporters on Christmas.

She also added that the Tories had “gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”.

Farage initially responded by labelling the Leader of the Opposition “bitter”, later inviting the Tories to let one of the “big four” accountancy firms audit both parties’ membership levels.

However, Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf later invited a group of journalists to inspect the populist party’s membership data.

The journalists found that Reform UK’s membership totals roughly equalled those shown on the tracker, adding: “The numbers did indeed match up.”

Farage has also hinted at taking legal action against the Leader of the Opposition after the online spat.

He said: “I’m going to take some action in the next couple of days, and I’ve got to decide exactly what it is.

“But I’m certainly not going to take it lying down. It’s an absolutely outrageous thing for her to have said.

“Now I know she’s got a very bad temper, I know she’s well known for lashing out at people. I’m not at all happy and I’m going to take some action. Exactly what it’ll be, I’ll let you know within two days.

“Once we’ve fully disproved this, she’s going to find life a lot more difficult and bitterly regret putting this out on Boxing Day afternoon.”

However, a Tory source told GB News: “Fake Farage is clearly rattled that his Boxing Day Publicity Stunt is facing serious questions over a fake clock and hundreds of ‘members’ seemingly joining in the middle of the night.

“Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.”

In his own New Year’s message, which was recorded at former Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s birthplace Blenheim Palace, Farage could not resist taking a swipe at a bruised Badenoch.

He said: “I think what Reform offers for 2025 is exciting. I know it is because the other parties are going absolutely mad.

“They’re throwing accusations around that I have no doubt that’ll get tougher throughout the course of 2025. But we know what we believe in.

“But I want to say this to you: If you agree with what we’re trying to do, don’t just sit back and nod.

“Do something about it. Join those 150,000 people who’ve already joined our party, because I promise you this, the only way we win, the only way we mend broken Britain, the only way we get Reform in our country that so badly needs it, is if you who agree with us join our People’s Army.