I'm a classic old school Conservative, says Kemi Badenoch - BBC News
By Brian Wheeler, Political Reporter
Kemi Badenoch has described herself as a "classic old school Conservative" as she launched her party's annual conference with policy pledges and a 100-page statement outlining her guiding principles.
She told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: "I believe in common sense, people working hard and being rewarded for that effort." She also added that welfare should serve as a "safety net, not a lifestyle".
The Conservative Party leader aims to differentiate her party in a crowded political landscape. With Labour and Reform UK leading in opinion polls and the Tories still recovering from their 2024 general election defeat, Badenoch is seeking to position herself and her party. She's characterized Nigel Farage of Reform as a "grumpy grandpa" and Andy Burnham of Labour as "the cheesy uncle who does all the dad jokes".
Self-proclaimed as a "no-nonsense mum", Badenoch defended her proposals for benefit cuts and increased prison places, stating: "It's the common sense party... If we were doing so well the old way, then why did we have such a terrible issue in 2024?"
In an essay titled The Right Way, Badenoch argues that the previous Conservative government failed due to its lack of clarity on its principles. She asserts: "We did little to reverse the structural changes Labour had made which took the country in the wrong direction... The result was that the state grew by stealth."
The essay outlines the next Conservative government's central principle: "business, not government, creates growth". It proposes tax cuts, reduced red tape, and trimming the civil service to pre-pandemic levels. "What is really missing from politics and government today," she writes, "is people prepared to say no."
As the Conservative Party conference begins in Birmingham, they've promised to address the childcare "cliff edge" affecting families earning over £100,000 and deliver 50,000 new prison places by cutting overseas aid to £1 billion annually.
Bridget Phillipson, Labour Party Chair, criticized the Tories, stating: "The Tory Party is stuck in the past and remains completely out of touch with what people across Britain want to see." She contrasted their plans with Andy Burnham's vision to "bring back hope to Britain."