Senior members of Britain's opposition Conservative Party are secretly maneuvering to oust current leader Kemi Badenoch and reinstate former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to reports by British media on Saturday (May 24), as polls show the party risks political oblivion under its current trajectory.
Polling Panic Sparks Rebellion
A YouGov survey reveals the Conservatives have plummeted to fourth place in voter support (behind Nigel Farage's Reform UK at 29%, Labour at 22%, and the Liberal Democrats), marking a historic low. More alarmingly, a separate poll indicates the party would surge back to first place at 26% under Johnson's leadership, topping Reform (23%) and Labour (22%).
Multiple Tory MPs said that allies from Johnson's inner circle have begun texting the ex-PM to negotiate a comeback plan. "Only Boris can crush Reform and save us from extinction," one lawmaker said bluntly. Critics argue Badenoch, who assumed leadership just six months ago, has failed to stem the party's decline, with fears mounting that Reform could permanently displace the Conservatives as Britain's main right-wing force.
Internal Rifts Widen
While Badenoch's allies, including former Cabinet minister Michael Gove, praised her "rare political courage," Johnson's ex-communications director, Harry Cole, predicted an "inevitable leadership contest."
The turmoil underscores deepening despair within Tory ranks after 14 years in power, exacerbated by Farage's populist Reform UK capitalizing on voter frustration over immigration and economic stagnation. Johnson, who resigned in 2022 amid scandals, remains a polarizing figure but is seen by rebels as the only hope to reunite the fractured right-wing base.
What's Next?
With no formal leadership challenge mechanism yet triggered, Badenoch's fate hinges on whether Johnson's camp can rally sufficient MP support. Observers warn a botched coup could further alienate voters, hastening the party's collapse. For now, the Conservatives' survival—and Britain's political landscape—hang in the balance.
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