That the leader of the British Conservatives had a soft spot for Giorgia Meloni was revealed by herself: in December Kemi Badenoch posted on her social profiles a carousel of photos after being a guest at Atreju, the youth event of Fdi, called the Prime Minister “a force of nature” and admitted that the two are “WhatsApp buddies,” great friends always in contact via message, united by their interest in the philosopher Roger Scruton.
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Yesterday she followed up with another post and new photos taken Monday morning in Rome: they arranged to meet for a coffee, a one-hour conversation that Badenoch wanted to share with a couple of clear messages.
THE EXCHANGE
The first: “Once upon a time,” she wrote, “the Italian economy was in trouble. Today Italy’s debt cost is lower than that of the UK. Markets and investors have more confidence in Meloni’s Italy than in Labour-governed Britain.” The Tories therefore come down to Rome to take notes on how to fix things at home. “She is a direct, concrete woman who does not mince words, knows what she believes in and does not back down from her positions. She has restored confidence in Italy, brought back to the country those who create jobs, and has shown what a serious center-right government can achieve,” continued Badenoch, who on the occasion wore a long white dress that some users ironically appreciated: a robe, more than ever suitable for the Roman trip.
She then recalled that Meloni is one step away from becoming the longest-serving head of government in the history of the Italian Republic, despite those who had written her off “claiming she wouldn’t last even six months.”
A stability that is failing across the Channel, where in July the seventh prime minister in ten years took office with the new Labour leader Andy Burnham. Stability is necessary to get a nation back on the right track, and so here is Badenoch’s second message: “I wanted to understand how she managed it, because after the Labour government Britain will need exactly the same kind of determination. And it will be the Conservatives who provide it.”
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The last sentence is currently a good intention still far from being realized. After the defeat in the 2024 elections that ended 14 years of Conservative governments, the Tories began to reckon with the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, reaching very low levels in the polls (16% at the start of 2025) before regaining breath precisely with the leadership change, entrusted to Badenoch. The three major parties are now much closer: Labour is benefiting from the Burnham effect – who at least at this start appears more reliable than Keir Starmer – and in some projections they have returned to the lead; Farage’s party seems to have lost the energy of recent months, also due to some internal tensions that led to the suspension of some prominent members; the Conservatives have returned above 20%.
THE OUTLOOK
Badenoch has promised that with her at Downing Street the United Kingdom will leave the European Convention on Human Rights to be able to adopt stricter immigration measures and has guaranteed a review of environmental policies approved by Labour so as not to jeopardize national industrial production.
Added to the political agenda is a more liberal economic line to ease the burden of the welfare state.
It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to recover the disappointed electorate looking to Farage or whether it will be necessary to hold one’s nose and form an alliance with Reform UK if the next elections produce a parliament without a clear majority, as for example the tabloid Daily Mail hopes.
On this aspect there is a mystery: the British woman stated that the Prime Minister had advised her against any pact with Farage, but last night Fdi clarified that the suggestion never came: the Prime Minister “who has no reason for hostility towards Farage’s movement” renewed esteem and friendship, “but reiterates that she has not entered and does not want to enter into national political dynamics and relations between British parties.” Will they clarify on WhatsApp?
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