Kemi Badenoch Faces Pressure to Reintegrate Reform Defectors Amidst Shifting Polls

Senior figures within the Conservative Party are reportedly considering strategies to persuade former members, who have defected to Reform UK, to return to the Tory fold. This comes as Reform UK's polling numbers have seen a significant decline, bringing the Conservatives closer in surveys.

Despite Kemi Badenoch's strong public stance against any alliance with Reform UK, with her team stating she "won't entertain it" and that defectors "betrayed the Conservative Party," some within the party's shadow cabinet believe a reconciliation is necessary. These individuals argue that while some defectors are beyond bringing back, others may have joined Reform UK without fully understanding the implications, and their return could have significant political symbolism.

Among those who have publicly left the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK are Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick. Braverman is considered by some within the party to be too controversial due to her public statements, while Jenrick is viewed as untrustworthy. However, figures like Danny Kruger are seen as potentially more amenable to returning, with one shadow minister noting he has not been as vocal in promoting ethno-nationalist sentiments or as critical of the Conservatives.

Tentative communications are said to have begun, though no concrete discussions about returning are currently taking place. One proposed strategy for any returning MPs or councillors is a 'quarantine' period of six months, during which they would sit as independents and be required to vote with the Conservative Party to demonstrate loyalty before regaining the whip.

The potential for a snap general election is a complicating factor. Some within both Conservative and Labour ranks believe that any sign of a reunification on the right of the political spectrum could prompt an early election. For the Conservatives, there are risks in reintegrating members who have previously left, as it could foster suspicion among existing party members. However, the potential benefit of unifying the right-wing vote is seen by some as outweighing these risks, especially in the context of preventing further terms for what is described as a "radical socialist agenda."