* Richard Tice and Kemi Badenoch are officially the UK’s sexiest politicians for 2026
* Reform UK’s Deputy Leader dethrones Nigel Farage, who drops to second after two consecutive wins
* Reform UK has overtaken Labour to become the sexiest party (38%), followed by the Conservatives (31%), and Labour (22%).
* The results come from an annual survey of members on IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating website for married people
There’s a new king in Westminster – and he’s been causing trouble in all the right ways.
Richard Tice Dethrones Farage at the Top
Richard Tice has been crowned the UK’s sexiest male politician, claiming 23% of the vote in IllicitEncounters.com’s annual Sexiest Politicians poll. The Reform UK Deputy Leader and self-made multimillionaire – has dethroned his own boss, with Farage slipping to second place on 22% after two consecutive years at the top.
The biggest surprise on the male list is Conservative Chris Philp storming into third place with 14%. Labour MP Alex Ballinger lands in fourth place (10%), while Liberal Democrat Bobby Dean makes a debut new entry at fifth (8%).
Perhaps most strikingly, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s ratings were so low this year, he was absorbed into the ‘Other’ category – a brutal result for a sitting Prime Minister.
Kemi Badenoch Tops the Female List for the First Time
Among female politicians, Kemi Badenoch storms to the top for the first time, claiming a whopping 24% of the vote. She is joined by a strong Conservative showing, with Katie Lam making a striking debut in second place (16%) – displacing last year’s winner Angela Rayner, who drops out of the top ten entirely. Reform’s Suella Braverman makes a striking entry at third (14%), whilst Sarah Pochin (13%) and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (10%) round out the top five.
Crunching the numbers across both lists, Reform UK emerges as the sexiest party overall with 38% of the combined vote. The Conservatives take second place with 31%, while Labour claim third with 22%.
Expert Comment from Jessica Leoni
Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “Nigel Farage has been dethroned – but only by the man sitting next to him in the Reform shadow cabinet, and only just. Our members clearly have a type, and that type is a self-made, straight-talking man who isn’t afraid to cause a scene. Chris Philp’s surge into third is the real eyebrow-raiser – quiet and under the radar he may have seemed, but our members have clearly been paying close attention.
“As for Kemi Badenoch – she’s sharp, she’s confident and she gives absolutely nothing away. Apparently that’s a very attractive quality. Reform’s dominance of this year’s poll tells its own story. Whether it translates to votes at the ballot box remains to be seen, but our members have certainly made their position clear.”
Sexiest Male Politicians 2026
Richard Tice, Reform UK – 23%
Nigel Farage, Reform UK – 22%
Chris Philp, Conservative – 14%
Alex Ballinger, Labour – 10%
Bobby Dean, Liberal Democrats – 8%
Dan Aldridge, Labour – 7%
Darren Jones, Labour – 5%
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK – 4%
Gordon McKee, Labour – 2%
Steve Barclay, Conservative – 1%
Other – 4%
Sexiest Female Politicians 2026
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative – 24%
Katie Lam, Conservative – 16%
Suella Braverman, Reform UK – 14%
Sarah Pochin, Reform UK – 13%
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour – 10%
Joy Morrissey, Conservative – 7%
Shabana Mahmood, Labour – 5%
Sarah Green, Liberal Democrats – 3%
Lisa Nandy, Labour – 3%
Natalie Fleet, Labour – 2%
Other – 3%
