Kemi Badenoch talks to our Editor about Conference, her ‘new generation, new team, new party’ vibe, and tackling Burnham not Starmer. She takes on criticisms from our readers, both Conservative and Reform and has a pot shot at Suella Braverman who’s trying to sell her book attacking the party she left, and Badenoch now leads.
‘It’s go big or go home’ – we must make the most of Conference
At last, Conference is upon us. In just a few days, thousands will flock to Birmingham with the hope that they can blag their way into a think tank drinks reception, only to be turned away by a middle-aged bloke who is more than likely at his wits’ end.
Healey and McFadden indicate to Labour that welfare reform is coming
Life would be easier for the Conservative Party if the Government could be relied on always to do the wrong thing, but the new divide may instead be between ministers and their own backbenchers.
Popular among activists, scrapping ULEZ doesn’t add up – either politically or financially
On the subject of motoring in London, there’s a long history of utter Tory refusal to look the electoral facts and numbers in the eye. You don’t have to agree with me on this. So please, let’s start talking about the things the voters of London care about, not the political activists.
The brutal truth today is that there is no money left for anything but, at best, the most growth focused tax cuts. Here is a test for the Conservative Party at next week’s party conference. Be better than Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats and refrain from making any stupid pledges on tax.
In Somerset, the Lib Dems must take responsibility for their failings
Residents have been asked to pay more throughout with council tax increasing by almost 40 per cent. Despite residents paying more, services have got worse.
The Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership are focused on winning back the trust of the British people and are unashamedly making the case for our Conservative values. The Conservative Party you will see in Birmingham this year is not the same Conservative Party that lost the last General Election.
“You’re changing the captain of the Titanic after it’s hit the iceberg” My latest focus groups
My latest focus group took place in Croydon, Crawley and Reading, where we heard from 2024 Labour voters in the market for an alternative, and former Conservatives weighing up switching to Reform UK.
Scrap the Triple Lock and replace it with a Triple Lock
Politics is often about choosing which principles to prioritise. Conservatives should stand firmly behind pensioners, but we should do so in a way that rewards contribution, supports saving and reflects sound economic principles.
Am I English? And what would my answer prove?
I am British, with Indian ancestry. England is where I live, where I raised my family, where I have cared for patients and where I belong. Others may understand their own Englishness differently. They are free to do so. I do not need to prove my love for this country to call it home.