Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, has forcefully rejected criticism from within her own ranks, branding her anonymous detractors as “cowards.” In a recent interview with BBC Newsnight, Badenoch stated she was “not intimidated by cowards,” responding directly to a magazine article in which two unnamed Conservative members called for her resignation ahead of challenging local elections in England this Thursday. She emphasized that she is unconcerned with criticism from those unwilling to publicly identify themselves, declaring, “I’m not troubled by individuals who are too afraid to attach their names to their criticisms. I consider that cowardice”.

The anonymous article, published in the Critic magazine’s May issue, argued that Badenoch should be replaced by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, whom she narrowly defeated in the last leadership contest. The piece was scathing, describing Badenoch as “unpopular and unlikable,” and claiming her leadership was dragging the party down at a time when the Conservatives have yet to recover from their defeat in the previous general election. It further accused the party of refusing to acknowledge its problems, suggesting this denial was preventing meaningful change.

Badenoch dismissed the significance of such anonymous commentary, questioning the authenticity of the article and its authorship. She reiterated that unless criticism is accompanied by a name, it holds little weight in her view. She also addressed speculation about divisions within the party, particularly between herself and Jenrick over a possible alliance with Reform UK, insisting there was no rift.

As she faces her first major electoral test since taking over as leader, Badenoch has warned her party of the tough road ahead, acknowledging the local elections could be “extremely difficult” for the Conservatives. Despite the challenges, she expressed optimism about party unity, stating that the Conservatives have come together after a period of internal disputes and infighting.