The Conservative Party conference begins on Sunday in Birmingham and will run until Wednesday. Kemi Badenoch arrives with momentum she lacked a year ago, when she was fighting for her political survival. Sources say she is putting her party on a "war footing", despite the Prime Minister's insistence there will be no early national poll.
Conference strategy and new policies
Mrs Badenoch cemented her authority a year ago with a rousing speech about abolishing stamp duty, which eventually led to leadership rival Robert Jenrick's sacking from the Conservatives. Now she has another fight on her hands, with long-standing suggestions that Andy Burnham could be preparing for an early general election.
The Tory leader will take to Birmingham ICC with a recently refreshed shadow cabinet flanking her and a raft of new policies in preparation. New prison spaces and the potential abolition of inheritance tax are only part of the puzzle for the Tories. Her party, lagging behind Labour and Reform UK in the polls, will attempt to position itself as a serious contender for Government despite their recent 14 years in power.
Key policy battles
The Prime Minister at Labour's conference in Liverpool last week came out swinging against Brexit by refusing to rule out rejoining the EU, being in his party's next manifesto. He also targeted the triple lock on pensions, a policy which other political parties have dared to tweak despite the costs of maintaining it. There are many people in Mrs Badenoch's party that do not agree with keeping the triple lock, making it a prickly topic for her over the coming days. The Tories cannot afford to lose older voters but many in her party believe it is unsustainable in its current form.
Mr Burnham's stance on these two major policies gives Mrs Badenoch perfect ammunition to show where her party stands on vital issues for right-leaning voters who might feel under fire by the Government.
Reform UK and conference highlights
Nigel Farage's popularity has also slipped slightly amid various financial scandals. Mrs Badenoch will attempt to draw a line in the sand with Reform UK's leader. She has vowed not to form an electoral pact with Mr Farage, but the right of politics is fragmented, especially with Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain on both their right flank. Her allies now hope that Reform UK's appeal will fade, making the Conservatives the obvious alternative government once again.
Mrs Badenoch will come out swinging at 9am when she is interviewed by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. She will then head to the conference where Tory members will listen to her give an opening speech. At the venue, the party plans to unveil their 88-foot take on the Bayeux Tapestry which mocks Labour's downfall, including imagery of Angela Rayner, Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham's rise to power. The design has been printed on cloth and is expected to be the star attraction at the conference this year.
