In a striking departure from traditional conference rhetoric, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has delivered a blunt warning to her Conservative colleagues: transform into a disciplined "political fighting force" or face continued electoral oblivion.
The senior cabinet minister used her platform at the Conservative Party conference to issue a stark assessment of the party's current state, arguing that the Tories must urgently learn from Labour's campaigning playbook if they hope to recover from their current polling deficit.
Learning from the Opposition
Badenoch pointed to Labour's formidable ground operation and messaging discipline as examples the Conservatives must emulate. "We need to look at what the other side does well," she told the Manchester audience, acknowledging that Labour had mastered the art of political warfare in a way the Tories had forgotten.
Her speech represented a significant shift in tone from the usual conference fare, focusing less on policy announcements and more on the fundamental mechanics of winning elections. The Business Secretary argued that being right on policy wasn't enough - the party needed to become better at the actual business of politics.
A Call for Discipline and Unity
The address served as both a rallying cry and a reality check for Conservative activists still reeling from their electoral mauling in July. Badenoch emphasised that internal divisions and lack of strategic focus had cost the party dearly, and only a unified, disciplined approach could reverse their fortunes.
"We have to become that fighting force again," she insisted, suggesting the party had become complacent after years in government and lost touch with the campaigning vigour that brought them to power.
Manchester's Political Battleground
The choice of Manchester as the venue for this message was symbolic. Once a Conservative stronghold, the city now represents the kind of urban seat the Tories must win back if they are to form a government again. Badenoch's speech acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing the party across traditional heartlands and new territories alike.
Her intervention comes at a critical moment for the Conservatives, who are navigating their first conference as the opposition party after 14 years in government. The address sets the tone for what many expect to be a period of serious reflection and potential reinvention for the party.
Whether Badenoch's call to arms will resonate with the broader Conservative membership remains to be seen, but her unambiguous message has certainly set the agenda for the difficult conversations that lie ahead.
