# Kemi's ratings rise with Reform voters after she attacks party in 'only whites can be English' row

> Kemi Badenoch's approval jumps to 57% among Reform UK voters after criticizing party's Englishness stance.
- Title: Kemi's ratings rise with Reform voters after she attacks…
- Summary: Kemi Badenoch's approval jumps to 57% among Reform UK voters after criticizing party's Englishness stance. Kemi Badenoch's approval rating rose from 40% to…
- Keywords: kemi badenoch, reform uk, englishness, conservative party, nigel farage, suella braverman, approval ratings, political ratings, news, entertainment, Kemi's, ratings
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16213221/Kemi-ratings-Reform-voters-whites-English-row.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-15T22:49:55+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: kemi badenoch, reform uk, englishness, conservative party, nigel farage, suella braverman, approval ratings, political ratings, news, entertainment
## Kemi Badenoch's approval rises
Kemi Badenoch's approval leapt from 40 per cent to 57 per cent among Reform UK voters when shown video clips of her saying she didn't want to live in a country run by people who…

> I don't want to explain to my son, when we're watching our brilliant England team play football, that some people don't think our black players are English. I am British. I'm proud of my country, I'm proud of our history.
## Reform leader warns about Englishness debate
Reform leader Nigel Farage warned colleagues to stop making the Englishness comparison amid fears it was damaging the party in the polls.
## Suella Braverman's English identity questioned
Mr Farage has exchanged words with Suella Braverman after she suggested she could not be considered English despite being born and raised in England because her parents were born abroad.
## Kemi's attack on Reform
Kemi Badenoch launched an excoriating attack on Reform at last week's Conservative Party conference.
## Research shows public support
Research suggests her response resonated with the public and helped drive a Tory revival in the polls.
## Conservative approval rises
Overall, the proportion of voters approving of the Tory leader rose from 37 to 46 per cent.
## Reform internal dismay
Tim Montgomerie, a prominent former Reform activist, said there was 'a lot of dismay at the top of the party' about the row.
## Reform's stance on Englishness
A party source said Mr Farage had been 'very clear' for years that 'black and Asian people can be English'.
## Reform's ethno-nationalist shift
Some Reform figures have followed the lead of Restore Britain in flirting with a form of 'ethno nationalism' which argues that only those who can trace their English roots back for generations can be judged…
## Reform donor's controversial post
Reform donor Arron Banks faced criticism last month after posting on X: 'Going through Heathrow today, there wasn't one white face in security or airport services.
## Kemi's statement on English identity
Mrs Badenoch told the party faithful last week: 'I don't want to explain to my son, when we're watching our brilliant England team play football, that some people don't think our black players are English.

> I don't want to explain to my son, when we're watching our brilliant England team play football, that some people don't think our black players are English. I am British. I'm proud of my country, I'm proud of our history.
## Andy Burnham's support
Andy Burnham said she was right to draw 'a line between her and Reform for suggesting that her children were not British'.
## Conservative poll lead
Surveys suggest the Conservatives have overtaken Reform for the first time in two years.
## Reform voter approval shift
The effect was particularly marked among Reform voters, with her approval jumping from 40 to 57 per cent.
## Reform's internal conflict
Tim Montgomerie, a prominent former Reform activist, said there was 'a lot of dismay at the top of the party' about the row.
## Reform's stance on English identity
A party source said Mr Farage had been 'very clear' for years that 'black and Asian people can be English'.
## Key takeaway

Kemi Badenoch's approval rating rose from 40% to 57% among Reform UK voters following her criticism of the party's claim that only white people can be English.