Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has arrived at the party's annual conference with her position secure and her MPs in an unusually united mood, as colleagues said the party must now focus on the economy rather than cultural battles to win back voters.
Asked during a conference Q&A whether she would pick between Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, Badenoch replied: "Why do you keep offering me these? It's like asking if I'd rather be shot or drowned."
The light-hearted exchange masked a significant shift in the party's fortunes. A year ago, colleagues privately predicted Jenrick would try to oust her. After a successful conference, Badenoch survived, and Jenrick was later expelled from the party.
Shadow ministers have been open in their relief. "Nobody knew how much we hated Robert until he left," said one shadow cabinet member. "Rob going was like pulling out a splinter," one said, while another added: "I miss him like I miss an abscess in my molar."
The mood also reflects Badenoch's strength as leader, a public desire for stability, and the continuing threat from Reform UK to the party's right. Badenoch has led the Tories for almost two years, longer than any leader since Boris Johnson, and has set out her vision in a 30,000-word pamphlet titled "The Right Way."
MPs say the party has learned the cost of leadership churn, with five leaders in eight years. Some are also confident that Nigel Farage's Reform UK has peaked after a difficult summer, even as the party keeps a wary eye on its right flank.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A settled Conservative leadership changes the shape of UK opposition politics and sets up the party's pitch at the next general election.
- The choice between economic messaging and cultural conservatism will define whether the Tories can win back voters who abandoned them at the last election.
- Unity after years of internal conflict gives the party a cleaner run, but also raises expectations that stability can be converted into support.
Background
The Conservatives lost power at the 2024 general election after 14 years in government, ending a period of internal turmoil that had produced several leaders in quick succession. Kemi Badenoch became leader after that defeat and has now held the post for almost two years, longer than any Conservative leader since Boris Johnson. Her position appeared under threat a year ago, but the challenge from Robert Jenrick never materialised and he was later expelled from the party, removing the most prominent internal critic.
Key Perspectives
Badenoch and her team: Present her as the party's stabilising figure, with a policy platform set out in a 30,000-word pamphlet, "The Right Way," and a record of seeing off internal challenges.
Conservative MPs: Relieved at Jenrick's departure, which they blame for years of internal division, and keen to shift the party's focus from cultural battles to the economy, which they see as the route back to power.
Sceptics and the right: Warn that the threat from Reform UK has not gone away, even if some Tories believe Nigel Farage's party has peaked after a difficult summer and will struggle to recover.
What to Watch
- Whether the conference mood holds once MPs return to Westminster and face the usual parliamentary pressures.
- The reception to "The Right Way" and whether Badenoch's stated principles translate into concrete policy.
- Reform UK's polling trajectory over the coming months and whether it recovers from its summer difficulties.
- Whether the government's economic record gives the Tories an opening to press their preferred argument about the economy.