She arrived as a disruptor, a self-styled “anti-woke warrior,” poised to revive one of the world’s oldest political parties. Nine months into her leadership of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch’s tenure has left many observers asking: why isn’t it working?
In this episode of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty is joined by Dorian Lynskey, co-presenter of the Origin Story podcast and author of Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World, to dissect Badenoch’s leadership, her political narrative, and the challenges facing a party in crisis.
Following the Conservative Party’s historic defeat last year, Badenoch was seen as the combative, straight-talking figure who could reconnect with the grassroots. She promised national revival, pushed an anti-establishment, anti-“woke” agenda, and projected toughness — but nine months on, the party is still losing councillors, defecting members are swelling the ranks of the Reform Party, and polls put her far behind Labour and Reform.
Dorian and Ciara examine how Badenoch has crafted her story, from presenting herself as a truth-teller to the grassroots to leveraging her identity as a Black British woman in a conservative, culture-war context. They explore the gulf between performance and policy, the lack of clear strategy or new ideas, and the pitfalls of focusing on media gestures over governance.
From her controversial statements about Nigeria to her disastrous performances against Keir Starmer at PMQs, Badenoch’s leadership raises questions about character-driven politics, populist positioning, and the ways in which modern conservatism balances ideology, identity, and spectacle.
Listen in to understand why Kemi Badenoch has struggled to convert media presence into political traction, what her leadership says about the Conservative Party today, and whether she has the profile and strategy to appeal beyond her party’s right-wing base.
Search for Origin Story wherever you get your podcasts to hear Dorian Lynskey and Ian Dunt explore the real stories behind the most misunderstood and abused ideas in politics.
