Kemi Badenoch addressed the Conservative Party conference for the first and almost certainly last time as leader, delivering a speech that was received with standing ovations and chants of her name from a membership deeply divided over her leadership. Half of the party's members want her gone now, with the rest willing to wait until next year, according to observers.
The conference was described as 'dead on arrival' by attendees, with expectations kept deliberately low. The speech itself was deemed 'adequate' by commentators, a relative triumph given the subdued atmosphere of the event. Badenoch made jokes and big-ticket announcements, but much of the content was seen as filler.
Badenoch attacked Labour throughout, blaming them for the country's problems, while making few references to Reform UK, even as the party loses support to Nigel Farage. She offered no apologies for the Conservatives' record in government, including on the economy and immigration, which she claimed the party could fix despite its previous failures.
Policy announcements included pledges on stronger economy and border security, though critics noted the lack of substance. Badenoch also reiterated her background as an engineer, positioning herself as a fixer. The speech was a ritual to be endured, with the audience suspending disbelief to convince themselves the event was not a waste of time.
