Badenoch warns of 'long road ahead' for Tories but says it won't be 'decades' before party back in power

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said her party will not be in opposition for "decades" - but warns there is a "long road ahead" for the Tories.

Her comments to Sky News's political editor Beth Rigby come ahead of Thursday's local elections in England, which are expected to prove challenging for Ms Badenoch.

It is her first electoral test since taking over from Rishi Sunak after their party's general election defeat last year ended a 14-year period in government.

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The Conservatives are also unlikely to win the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, triggered by former Labour MP Mike Amesbury punching a constituent.

Speaking to Beth Rigby in Wiltshire, Ms Badenoch said: "We are rebuilding. We've just left the government a historic defeat. You don't just come back from that overnight.

"The last oppositions were 14 years, 13 years, 18 years. I've been a leader for six months.

"There's a long road ahead. I'm not going to let it be decades.

"I want to do this in four years, but that's a really tough job."

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Asked by Beth if this was her asking for more time from her party, Ms Badenoch said: "That's what my party selected me for.

"I said we're going to do this the hard way, the long way, but the most reliable way."

There have also been reports that shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick is manoeuvring himself to try to replace Ms Badenoch.

He was defeated by the current leader in a vote of the party membership last year.

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Backing from former chancellor

Speaking to the Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, ex-chancellor Jeremy Hunt cautioned against removing Ms Badenoch.

Mr Hunt told Sophy that it would be "the worst possible thing" to have speculation about a "change in leadership".

The Tory MP added: "I don't think anyone would have done better than Kemi."

Ms Badenoch has played down the division within her party.

She said: "Robert Jenrick is a hard-working member of my team. He is talking about getting former Conservative voters back.

"I agree with him. We have a great team, unlike Nigel Farage, who's lost 20% of his party.

"We are united, and we're fighting for every single vote."

On the subject of Reform UK and its leader Nigel Farage, Ms Badenoch told Sky News that she was not opposed to Conservatives doing deals with any parties for control of councils.

She said that local elections are different to national parliamentary votes, where a coalition is not on the cards.

The interview with Kemi Badenoch is part of a series of election previews with all major parties invited.