Kemi Badenoch, leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, has voiced admiration for Argentina’s President Javier Milei, describing him as a model for state reform and vowing to adopt a similar approach to reducing government size.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Badenoch said she views Milei as a “template” for what she hopes to achieve in government. She praised the Argentine president’s candour with voters and his ability to follow through on campaign promises.
Milei rose to international prominence during his 2023 election campaign, where he famously brandished a chainsaw as a symbol of his commitment to slashing public spending. When asked whether the UK needed its own Milei—and whether she saw herself in that role—Badenoch responded, “Yes and yes.”
Despite trailing in third place in recent polls, Badenoch insisted the Conservatives must redefine themselves as a party of “hope,” distancing themselves from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which she criticised as merely capitalising on public discontent. “The Conservatives cannot be a repository for disenchantment,” she said.
She acknowledged that the public has not yet “forgiven” the Conservative Party for recent political turmoil, and admitted that Reform UK is currently dominating political discourse. However, she expressed confidence that voters would eventually become disillusioned with Farage’s rhetoric, which she bluntly referred to as “bullshitting.” She also claimed that Reform is positioning itself to the left of the Conservatives on welfare policy.
Pressed to outline her policy vision, Badenoch emphasised a focus not merely on reducing the size of the state, but on evaluating its purpose and efficiency. “It’s not about cutting bits of the state,” she explained, “but looking at what the state does, and why it does it.”
Addressing speculation over internal dissatisfaction within the Conservative ranks, Badenoch dismissed the prospect of a leadership challenge in the near future. “I can’t spend all my time worrying about regicide. I would lose my mind,” she said. “I’m so thick-skinned to the point where I don’t even notice if people are trying to create harm. That’s extremely useful in this job.”
