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FOr most of this Tory conference Manchester, the world’s most successful democratic party It seemed as if he was circling the drain.
Chief Shadow Minister was giving his speech Speech on at least some empty seatsCorporates had left the party in terms of stalls, and while there were very few people in attendance at the Manchester Central Conference Centre, there were vast open spaces; The buzz of yesteryear was replaced by resounding disappointment.
The queues were just for the man many believe will replace Tory leader Kemi Badenoch In the coming months – Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick,
He seemed to be the man of the hour, the go-to speaker for anyone who wanted to organize an event, a real crowd puller.
And while his supporters did Made sure he didn’t try to do like Andy Burnham And make the conference about a leadership challenge, with discussions about Ms Badenoch’s future dominating the entire four days among members and MPs alike.
While those who fled Manchester ahead of Ms Badenoch’s speech may have left thinking her days as leader were numbered, those who stayed for her keynote speech on Wednesday morning – which saw crowds attention-grabbing, vote-getting pledges – You must have seen the refreshed Ms. Badenoch breathing new life into this tired party.
To keep Cami – or not to keep Cami?
It appeared that the main debate during the conference did not focus on the qualities of the embattled leader. Even those who did not want a change of leader seemed to agree with the fact that she looked mediocre at best.
In fact, Independent At many private meetings there was debate over whether voters would forgive the party for changing leaders again on such short notice, or whether the Conservatives simply needed someone ready for the job – no matter what that looked like.
It wasn’t exactly the greatest vote of confidence in a woman elected to lead the party less than a year earlier – but that’s a small measure of patience in modern politics.
One supporting MP, who did not want a leader change, said: “Well, he will always be a work in progress, we just need to give him time.”
But another said: “We don’t have time.”
a party on life support
The issue was whether the party was facing a “culminating event”, or had already ended.
More in common poll casting Improvement At 33 per cent, Labor was on 20 per cent and the Tories on 19 per cent, not encouraging to say the least, and it was one of the more generous results for the Conservatives.
The Nigel Farage question remains the same all the time – can she possibly take on the most formidable and charismatic man in British politics?
One senior Tory suggested Ms Badenoch was just “lazy” and “unwilling to do the work required.”
The debates, although generally cordial, often became heated and in the case of some MPs almost erupted into violence.
speech of his life
In short, Ms. Badenoch needed to knock it out of the park in her keynote speech.
He had to show that he had both the vision and the policies to unite a fractured party, confirm that he was the right leader, and give the Conservatives hope of a remarkable reform.
As she arrived on stage in a much smaller arena than usual, the long standing ovation for her arrival was perhaps more in anticipation than expectation.
And yet when things were bad, when everything seemed bad and lost, Ms. Badenoch performed well.
After saying last year that there would be no policy announcements for two years, he decided to do so in a speech itself, which showed his confidence and calmness.
She said she wanted to think deeply about policies before announcing them, and it looks like she has done just that.
We already knew about their plans to scrap the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), but also came pledges to reverse the family farming tax, VAT on private school fees and tax raids on family businesses – the Tories have been vocal critics of the government since it was announced.
All of this was not entirely surprising, as was the pledge to overturn the employment rights law.
But then a big matter came. She said she would ban doctors from striking, as the British Medical Association prepares more industrial action to demand a 29 per cent pay rise. You can feel a sudden spark in the room.
The decision was then taken to abolish business rates for high street shops. In the year of the 100th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth, when the former Prime Minister spent her formative years in her father’s corner shop, it seemed a fitting tribute.
More importantly, this was something the previous Tory government should have done years ago, as online alternatives like Amazon ruined the high street.
Perhaps nothing would symbolize the fact that the Tories were “under new leadership” and are a changed party.
However, Ms. Badenoch’s work was not finished. Finally with enthusiasm he announced something that all Tories could support – the abolition of stamp duty,
Homeownership and its promotion is perhaps the most conservative of all policies. This is exactly what Mrs Thatcher did. It was the moment Ms Badenoch sold council housing to tenants.
The cheering in the room was genuine. At last he had a policy to unify the party and take it across the country (it must be said proposed last year by former leadership rival now shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverley).
Most importantly, it was not simply a copy of the reform and, unlike Farage’s policies, on the surface it appeared that it would be carried out carefully, even though it would cost an estimated £12 billion a year.
Ms. Badenoch’s “I believe” conclusion that lower taxes, stronger borders, women being defined biologically (she can’t escape her culture war obsessions), and free speech were all things more right-wing 2025. conservative Party Obviously can stay behind.
better than starmer
this was different Keir Starmer’s speech last week, Where he used a long-running attack on Reform to emerge from a difficult conference and unify his party.
Instead, Ms Badenoch barely mentioned the reform returning to the traditional choice of Tories versus Labour.
But what he offered was a confident vision and policy platform that would at least give his party a chance and answer many (though not all) of his critics’ questions.
Indeed, it was a mark of Ms Badenoch’s confidence that she felt safe enough to cross-check her future leadership rival at least three times.
The irony is that his opponent Mr Jenrick has been talking all week about the need for change, without specifying what it is. Ms Badenoch embodied that change and now it may be enough to allow her to lead her party into the next election. Only time will tell whether he has a fighting chance or not.