Kemi Badenoch has made the Conservatives a sensible party again (Image: Getty)
Kemi Badenoch is a long way from becoming Prime Minister. Many opinion polls still suggest the Conservatives are the third most popular party in the country, behind Nigel Farage's Reform UK, although they are roughly level with Labour. The latest YouGov survey found 24% of voters backed Reform with 19% supporting Labor and 18% planning to vote Conservative.
But there's a long way to go before the next election, which might not come until 2029. And crusading Kemi is looking increasingly impressive. Here are five reasons why it might be time to give the Tories another chance – and put Kemi in Number 10.
Read more: Kemi Badenoch rips Starmer apart for 'stuffing government with paedo apologists'
Read more: Reform benefits bombshell unveiled by Jenrick – stops handouts for foreigners
The Conservatives have really changed
Towards the end of the last Conservative government, the party was in a state of chaos. There were constant changes of leadership, and some disastrous decisions such as the “mini-budget” overseen by former Prime Minister Liz Truss.
But Kemi has got a grip on her party. There's no more talk of leadership challenges and she's refusing to make promises she can't keep.
It might take voters a long time to forgive the Conservatives for the mistakes they made last time – understandably so. But they really are under new management today.
The policies are sensible
Tories have instituted what they call a “golden rule” to manage the economy. Yes, they want to get taxes down – but only when it can be afforded. So they will aim to cut spending, and allow only half of the savings they make to be spent on tax cuts. The other half goes on reducing the Treasury's massive deficit.
It ensures there can be no promises that terrify the financial markets – and which voters can't believe.
But when they can afford it, they will abolish stamp duty, making it easier for millions to buy a home.
They have accepted that previous Tory governments made a massive mistake by allowing immigration to soar. They don't just want to stop small boats – they also have plans to cut the numbers allowed to settle in the UK legally too.
Kemi is already setting the agenda
It was Kemi Badenoch – not Reform UK leader Nigel Farage – that forced the Government to U-turn over limiting winter fuel payments (thanks also to an Express campaign), to support farmers hit by inheritance tax increases, to provide more help to struggling pubs and to release the Mandelson files.
She takes on Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs in the Commons every week, and wins.
It's true that when she first started, Kemi struggled with being a leader. It took her time to find her feet. But today, she's hitting the ball for six again and again.
Ensure our latest politics headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
The Conservatives are united
Tories have been hit by a series of defections, and they did hurt. When someone like Robert Jenrick chooses to switch to Reform, it's a vote of confidence in Nigel Farage's party.
But there are also some benefits for the Conservatives if people who aren't happy choose to leave.
The team that remains in the Tories are fully behind Kemi Badenoch. There's no talk of “letters” being sent demanding that she resign, as we used to see with the Conservative Party under past leaders.
And it's not a bad team. If you wanted someone sensible to look after your pension, you could do a lot worse than Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride. There are some old hands, like Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly, and some rising stars, like Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy.
There's a long way to go
Many Express readers may want Sir Keir Starmer and his failing Labor government gone – and will be asking themselves who is best placed to remove them.
If you look at opinion polls today, the answer appears to be Reform.
But the Tories aren't that far behind. It's perfectly possible that by the time polling day comes, perhaps more than three years in the future, Kemi will have become the obvious candidate to replace Sir Keir in Number 10.