Disaster for SNP as one Tory leadership candidate will end party with 'rare combination'

As the Conservative Party prepares to select a new leader, Kemi Badenoch has emerged as a leading candidate and if she is successful, she could be the first Westminster politician to weaken the Scottish National Party's (SNP) influence in Scotland.

That's according to Professor Azeem Ibrahim, who claims the Tory leadership frontrunner "a rare combination of courage, conviction, and a firm unionist stance, uniquely positioning her to confront the SNP's divisive politics head-on".

Writing in the , Prof Ibrahim highlighted how Kemi Badenoch stood firm against the SNP's policy on gender self-identification - one that was controversial even within Scotland.

He said: "When most politicians shied away from addressing it-fearing cancellation or backlash-Badenoch did not mince her words. She was unapologetically clear: self-ID without safeguards could have serious consequences, and she took a stand that resonated with many Scots who were uncomfortable with the SNP's radical policy direction.

"This single issue exposed the growing disconnect between SNP leadership and everyday Scots, and Badenoch showed she was not afraid to challenge it.

"For years, the SNP has used a strategy of grievance politics, constantly positioning itself as the victim of Westminster's supposed indifference or hostility. This has allowed them to sidestep responsibility for the chronic issues facing Scotland: the highest drug death rate in Europe, persistently high poverty levels, excruciatingly long hospital waiting times, low economic growth, and struggling councils."

Describing the MP for Norht West Essex as a "fighter" unlike her predecessors, Prof Ibrahim added that previous leaders - red and blue - have been "ineffective" in challenging the ruling Nats, who have been in government in Holyrood since the late 2000s.

Prof Ibrahim added: "If the Conservative Party chooses Kemi Badenoch as its leader, they may find in her the right person to counter the SNP's narrative and offer Scotland a fresh perspective on the union.

"The SNP has long thrived on blaming Westminster and stirring grievances, but they may have finally met their match in Badenoch-a leader unafraid of a fight, unyielding in her principles, and unswerving in her dedication to the United Kingdom."