Centrist ideas no longer wanted in Conservative party, says Kemi Badenoch

Centrist ideas are no longer wanted in the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch has said, arguing that one nation-type Tories or others who have qualms about her rightward direction for the party “need to get out of the way”. (28/01/26)

She explicitly rejected the approach of Andy Street, the former West Midlands mayor, and Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Tory leader, who have launched a new group within the party for what they call “politically homeless” centrist and centre-right voters.

Badenoch said this did not want any policy ideas that were not based around her right-leaning views. She was clear on her direction, setting out a Reform-adjacent policy. “My Conservative party has moved to the right every day since I became leader.” “I won’t apologise to those walking away because they don’t like the new direction. We only want Conservatives.”

Such an explicit repudiation of the historically strong centrist tradition in conservatism will leave her electorally exposed given the Conservatives lost about 60 seats to the Liberal Democrats at the last election, many because more centrist Tory voters abandoned the party.

On Wirral our message to people who see themselves as one-nation Conservatives is that you will be welcome in the Liberal Democrats.