Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has signalled a major shake-up in the Conservative Party’s candidate selection process, making clear that prospective parliamentary candidates who disagree with key party positions on net zero and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) should not expect to be selected.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mrs Badenoch said she is determined to build what she described as a “party for the future” rather than offering a route back into Parliament for former MPs who no longer align with the direction she is taking the Conservatives.
The move comes as the party undertakes a major recruitment exercise ahead of the next general election, with more than 2,000 people reportedly applying to become Conservative candidates. Mrs Badenoch said all applicants, including former MPs and ministers, would be judged against the same standards.
According to reports, some former Conservative MPs who lost their seats at the 2024 general election have been informed they will not be considered for reselection if they continue to support policies that conflict with the party’s current direction.
Mrs Badenoch has previously abandoned the Conservatives’ long-standing commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, arguing that the target would impose excessive costs on households and industry. She has also made leaving the ECHR official Conservative policy, saying withdrawal would be necessary to strengthen border controls and address wider legal constraints facing government.
In her article, the Conservative leader said applicants who continue to support net zero targets or who do not accept the party’s position on the ECHR are unlikely to be selected. She argued that the party must demonstrate it has changed following its defeat at the last general election.
Mrs Badenoch also suggested that the party should recruit more candidates from outside traditional political circles. She highlighted business leaders, engineers, tradespeople, teachers, veterans and others with experience beyond Westminster as examples of the type of people she would like to see standing for Parliament.
The Conservative leader acknowledged that some disappointed applicants may choose to leave for other parties, including Reform UK or the Liberal Democrats, but indicated she was prepared to accept that outcome as part of rebuilding the party.
The announcement forms part of a broader effort by Mrs Badenoch to redefine the Conservative Party following its historic electoral defeat and to present a distinct policy platform ahead of the next general election. Polling currently suggests the Conservatives and Labour remain closely matched, while both continue to face competition from Reform UK.
Mrs Badenoch said the Conservatives were selecting people who could one day be responsible for making major decisions on issues including taxation, immigration, energy, policing, defence and public services, adding that the party needed candidates capable of governing rather than simply attracting attention on social media.
