KEMI Badenoch has accused “useless” Sir Keir Starmer of plunging Britain into a “doom loop” of higher taxes and weaker borders.
The Tory chief used her conference speech to tear into Labour’s “directionless” government, warning only the Conservatives can “restore a strong economy, secure our borders and rebuild Britain”.
PAKemi Badenoch delivers her keynote speech at Tory party conference[/caption]
AFPKemi Badenoch arrives with her husband Hamish on the final day of Tory party conference[/caption]
LNPMs Badenoch says Britain needs a ‘approach that delivers a strong economy and stronger borders’[/caption]
In a fiery address in Manchester, Ms Badenoch told party faithful: “Do you know the one thing Conservatives have done most throughout our history?
“Clear up the mess left by Labour. And my goodness, they are making one hell of a mess. Never in the field of human history have so many been left down by so few.
“All they have delivered is a doom loop of higher taxes, weaker borders and month after month of chaos. They had a plan to win but no plan for power, no vision for Britain.”
Ms Badenoch mocked Sir Keir for claiming his proudest moment was “walking into Downing Street” – before taking aim at scandals involving Angela Rayner, Louise Haigh, Tulip Siddiq and Lord Mandelson.
Referring to Andy Burnham “touting his own manifesto” at Labour Party conference, she added: “To be honest, I can’t blame Andy Burnham for that one. Who doesn’t want to get rid of this utterly useless, weak Prime Minister? After five years as Labour leader, people still don’t know what Keir Starmer stands for. And you know what the real problem is, he doesn’t know himself.”
Ms Badenoch went on to unveil a raft of new Conservative pledges – from slashing welfare and shrinking the civil service to leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.
She said the “most important task” facing the country was to get the economy back on track, announcing a new fiscal “golden rule” to prove every penny saved would be “put to work.”
She said: “It starts with fiscal responsibility. We have to get the deficit down and we must also show how every tax cut or spending increase is paid for. So today I am introducing a new golden economic rule. Every paid we save will be put to work.
“At least half will go towards cutting the deficit, because living within our means is our first priority. And with the rest we will get Britain growing and bring down the taxes that are stifling our economy.”
The Tory leader claimed her team had already identified £47 billion in savings — including £7 billion from the aid budget, £8 billion from civil service cuts, and £23 billion from welfare reform.
Ms Badenoch also vowed to “shut down rip-off courses” and use the savings to double the apprenticeship budget, recalling: “I was working with adults, I was paying my own way and it gave an 18-year-old me a self-confidence that my university degrees never did.
“And unlike my degrees, I wasn’t left with any debt.”
Taking aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves, she quipped: “Education should help you develop the skills you need to get on in life, it should help you get the job you want.
“So if your name’s Rachel you can be an economist, instead of working in customer complaints.”
Elsewhere in the speech, the Tory boss pledged to cut the Civil Service back to 2016 levels and on immigration, she repeated her commitment to take Britain out of the ECHR.
She promised to overhaul the welfare system to end what she called “a national tragedy.”
She said: “Five thousand new people are signing on every day, never knowing what it’s like to make something of themselves.
“British benefits should be for British citizens. It’s common sense that you should not draw out of a system you haven’t paid into.”
The speech is seen as a make-or-break moment for Ms Badenoch as she closes the Tory conference with a pitch to rebuild her battered party and take the fight to Labour and Reform.
It’s her first full conference speech since taking the reins after last year’s election wipeout.
The four-day gathering has contained a flurry of new policies as the Tories battle accusations they’ve had no plan, while Reform UK has dominated headlines over summer with a stream of announcements.
Ms Badenoch and her top team have been unveiling measures on welfare cuts, border control and a new “golden rule” for the economy to show her party still has ideas and direction.
The focus on the economy in particular is central to the fightback as Ms Badenoch believes restoring the party’s reputation for sound management is the only way to regain trust after years of chaos and infighting.
What the Tories are promising
Quit the ECHR
Kemi Badenoch vowed to pull Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights and scrap the Human Rights Act. The plan includes creating a British version of the US immigration force ICE and banning irregular migrants from ever claiming asylum.
£47 billion in cuts
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride pledged £47 billion of annual savings by 2029, including £23 billion from welfare, a quarter of civil service jobs axed, and an end to net-zero spending.
Sacking ‘activist judges’
Robert Jenrick said he would abolish the Sentencing Council and let officials fire judges who back “open borders” groups online.
Triple Stop and Seach
Chris Philp promised 10,000 extra police and sweeping new powers for stop-and-search — even for people who simply smell of cannabis.
Rip up net zero laws
The party would repeal the 2008 Climate Change Act, scrap the renewables obligation and shut down the Climate Change Committee watchdog.
Debt-trap degrees cap
Ms Badenoch plans to cap university courses with “poor outcomes”, funnelling £3 billion of savings from unpaid student loans into apprenticeships instead.
The move seeks to draw a sharp line with Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who faces a £50 billion black hole and is braced for a painful Budget next month.
But Reform’s growing presence has loomed large over the conference, with Mr Farage’s party seizing disillusioned Tory voters.
While talk of a major defection or a deal between the two parties has swirled around the conference halls, it hasn’t materialised.
Reform has yet to land a knockout blow as no sitting MPs have crossed the floor since Danny Kruger last month.
But Reform did make mischief on the eve of her speech, announcing it had poached 20 Conservative councillors.
The new recruits include figures from Kent, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Hampshire, as well as local leaders in Medway, Bury and South Ribble.
A YouGov poll published this week showed half of Tory members think Ms Badenoch should not lead the Conservatives into the next election and that most want a pact with Reform.
Some 50 per cent think she should go, with just 46 per cent backing her to stay on, according to the survey for Sky News.
Nearly half, 49 per cent, believe she will be ousted before polling day, while only 47 per cent think she will survive.
Shadow Justice Secretary and former leadership rival Robert Jenrick is now the members’ favourite to replace her, backed by 46 per cent compared with Ms Badenoch’s 39 per cent.
And two-thirds of members – 64 per cent – back an electoral deal with Nigel Farage‘s Reform, with nearly half even open to a full merger.
PAReform UK leader Nigel Farage[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
