Kemi Badenoch is much less likely to be seen as a 'PM in waiting' than Keir Starmer was when he became Labour leader

Badenoch first poll (Nov 2024): 15%
Starmer first poll (May 2020): 32%https://t.co/FiifPne8wb pic.twitter.com/9ujjRv9IgV

— YouGov (@YouGov) December 18, 2024

The Conservatives' 'ready for govt' ratings also look grim – only 12% say they are, while 68% say they are not

BUT, Labour managed to claw its way back from a similar 18%/71% when Starmer first took over – Badenoch's figures should worry the Tories more than the party's, says… pic.twitter.com/crRJazEdYd

— YouGov (@YouGov) December 18, 2024

When it comes to Kemi Badenoch the public appear to be channelling Shania Twain and her seminal track ‘That don’t impress me much’, they are similarly unimpressed by the Tories.

The latter finding isn’t that surprising considering the Tories suffered their worst general election defeat since Methuselah was a lad and the former finding isn’t surprising either given that Kemi Badenoch was a prominent member of the last government.

What must sting for Kemi Badenoch is that she is doing worse than Starmer at a similar point, but as with those writing off Starmer now, there’s plenty of time for Badenoch to turn it around.

I know some Badenoch fans may find succour in that the Tories are ahead in some polls but supplementaries right now remind me of the polling in 2015 which had Labour ahead but Ed Miliband way behind on the supplementaries compared to David Cameron.

TSE