LONDON, England — Senior Conservative Party officials are reportedly developing plans to replace current party leader Kemi Badenoch with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a dramatic potential return to frontline politics, following a crushing defeat in the May 1 local elections.
According to The Sun, internal discussions have intensified after the Conservatives lost 674 council seats — two-thirds of those they were defending — and fell behind Reform UK, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats in a recent opinion poll.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, secured 677 council seats, outpacing the Tories and signalling a seismic shift in right-wing political support.
“There is growing panic,” one unnamed Tory official told The Sun.
“We keep sharpening our knives and putting them back down again. Things are pretty grim.”
The reported plan to oust Badenoch, who has led the party for six months, underscores internal dissatisfaction over her leadership and strategic direction.
Critics within the party allege she has failed to address core voter concerns, resulting in plummeting poll numbers and a growing appetite for change.
Despite current Conservative Party rules that protect newly elected leaders from formal challenges for 12 months — meaning Badenoch cannot face a leadership vote until November — insiders say alternative strategies are being explored.
These include orchestrated mass resignations from members of the shadow cabinet to force her hand.
Among those being floated as possible replacements are Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick and Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott.
However, it is the possible return of Boris Johnson — who remains a polarising yet influential figure in the party — that is reportedly receiving the most attention.
A recent poll cited by The Sun indicated that Johnson is perceived by many Conservatives as their best hope of defeating Farage and halting Reform UK’s surging popularity.
Johnson, who led the Tories to a landslide general election victory in 2019, was forced to resign in July 2022 amid multiple scandals, including breaches of COVID-19 lockdown rules and questions over his handling of party ethics.
Although Johnson briefly considered a comeback following the resignation of Liz Truss in 2022, he ultimately stepped aside, allowing Rishi Sunak to assume leadership.
Since then, he has largely remained out of active politics, though speculation about his return has never fully subsided.
Badenoch, viewed by some as a rising star when she took the reins, has yet to publicly respond to the growing unrest within the party.
The Conservative Party now faces mounting pressure to unify or risk further electoral erosion.
With a general election due next year, the party’s internal wrangling may prove decisive in shaping the direction of British politics — and whether Boris Johnson makes a sensational return to the helm.
