Full Breakdown
Kemi Badenoch Rules Out Any Deal With Reform UK Defectors
8/23/2026, 12:35:13 AM
Badenoch’s Attack on Reform Defectors
She added that she would not allow “drama queens” back into the party and dismissed the prospect of any coalition or post-election deal with Reform.
Context of Recent Defections
Since the 2024 general election, several high-profile MPs—including former home secretary Suella Braverman and former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick—have crossed to Reform UK. Their departures have fueled speculation about a possible Reform-Conservative partnership, a scenario Badenoch repeatedly rejected.
Political Implications and Election Stance
Badenoch warned that a “monstrous Reform-Conservative hybrid” government would leave the country “in a pretty bad place.” She emphasized that the Conservatives must “win on my own terms” at the next general election. In a recent Ipsos voting-intention poll, 28 % of respondents said they would support Labour, 25 % Reform UK and 18 % the Conservatives, underscoring the party’s precarious position. Badenoch also stated that, should a hung parliament occur, the appropriate response would be a fresh election rather than a coalition with Reform or a Labour-Liberal Democrat arrangement.
Official Statements & Responses
Badenoch’s remarks were framed as a defence of party character and governance stability. The leader reiterated that there would be “no deals before or after” any upcoming election, positioning a Conservative-only government as the only viable outcome.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Reform has people who left the Conservative party, some of the most dishonest people I have ever met in my entire life,” — Kemi Badenoch
- “How do I work with people like that when I am making carefully curated plans and taking a systems-based approach?” — Kemi Badenoch
