The Coming Clash: What to Expect Between Badenoch and Jenrick in the Tory Leadership Contest

As we brace ourselves for another chapter in the saga of Conservative Party leadership, it’s clear that the contest between Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick will be nothing short of a political dogfight. Both candidates are positioning themselves as the future of the Tories, but their visions for the party – and indeed the country – could not be more different.

Badenoch: The Outsider’s Maverick

Badenoch, often branded as the intellectual powerhouse of the party’s right wing, has built her reputation on unapologetic straight talking and a staunch commitment to Conservative values. She’s positioned herself as the antidote to what she and her supporters see as the ‘woke drift’ in both government and society. Badenoch’s approach is direct, and she doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable debates, whether on race, gender, or Brexit.

If you’ve watched her rise over the past few years, you’ll know she’s not someone who panders to political correctness. Her supporters argue that’s exactly why she’s the leader the party needs right now: someone unafraid to take the fight to Labour and to refocus on core conservative principles. But with that comes a real risk: Badenoch’s blunt style, while refreshing to some, could alienate the softer centre-ground voters that the Conservatives desperately need to win a general election.

Expect to see her playing up her credentials as a champion of free speech, limited government, and personal responsibility over the next few weeks. She’ll be looking to capitalise on discontent among the Tory grassroots, particularly those who feel the party has lost its way under recent leadership. But will her hardline views resonate beyond the party’s base?

Jenrick: The Radical Right-Winger

Jenrick may present a calm exterior, but beneath that polished image lies a far more radical agenda than some might expect. Unlike Badenoch’s philosophical conservatism, Jenrick’s vision for the party leans hard into the far-right territory. He’s been outspoken about his desire to reshape British institutions, including his controversial proposal to abolish the UK's membership in the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). For Jenrick, the EHRC represents an outdated bureaucracy tied to what he and his supporters see as "political correctness gone mad," and removing Britain from it is part of his broader ambition to push back against human rights legislation he feels has constrained national sovereignty.

Jenrick is unapologetic about wanting to roll back regulations he sees as stifling freedom, whether it’s on civil liberties or immigration. He’ll push a hard-line approach to law and order, likely intensifying rhetoric around border control and clamping down on what he views as the “woke left” dominating British institutions. His appeal lies in promising a more radical transformation of Britain, one that abandons multilateral commitments and centres the UK’s interests in a more nationalistic frame.

Expect Jenrick to court the party’s far-right factions and frame himself as the man who can finish what Brexit started: a decisive break from globalist institutions. He’ll make a play for the voters disillusioned with moderate conservatism, using his more extreme positions to distinguish himself from Badenoch.

What to Watch for in the Coming Weeks

1. Policy Battles: Keep an eye on how each candidate frames their economic policies. With inflation still biting, Badenoch and Jenrick will need to outline clear strategies for growth, but expect Badenoch to push more for deregulation and Jenrick to favour hard-right reforms, particularly in areas like immigration and law enforcement.

2. Culture Wars: Badenoch will continue her crusade against what she sees as the creeping influence of identity politics, but Jenrick might take it even further by focusing on dismantling key institutions like the EHRC. He’ll want to position himself as the more radical alternative, one willing to break from international norms to protect British sovereignty.

3. Grassroots vs. MPs: Badenoch is far more popular among the grassroots, while Jenrick may initially struggle to win over the Tory rank-and-file with his more extreme ideas. However, he’ll aim to energise the right-wing of the party, hoping to channel the lingering discontent with mainstream conservatism.

4. The Boris Factor: While Badenoch could benefit from the populist legacy of Boris Johnson, Jenrick’s far-right platform might appeal to the disaffected base that feels betrayed by the perceived softness of the post Boris era. He may well double down on the idea that Johnson's time in office didn’t go far enough in dismantling liberal institutions.

The next few weeks will be brutal. The Conservative Party is in a moment of existential crisis, and this leadership contest will set the tone not just for the party’s future, but for the nation’s. Badenoch represents a bold, unapologetic shift to the right, while Jenrick’s more radical, far right agenda signals an even deeper rupture from the status quo. Whoever emerges victorious will face a party.