Kemi Badenoch delivered her first, and likely last, Conservative Party conference leader's speech, with the audience cheering and clapping to convince themselves the event had not been a waste of time. Half of her party's membership reportedly wants her gone now, while the other half is willing to give her until next year.
The speech was described as adequate, a triumph by the low standards of the conference. Badenoch sounded confident, though it was unclear whether she had reconciled herself to the inevitable or was divorced from reality. The audience needed the speech to be a success to justify their attendance, but critics argue it was an exercise in sub-par performance politics.
Badenoch claimed the Tories could deliver a stronger economy and secure borders, despite the party's record of economic stagnation and high migration under 14 years of Conservative rule. She offered no apologies. The speech included jokes, big-ticket announcements, and mindless filler, with barbs aimed at Labour rather than Reform UK, despite the party losing support to Nigel Farage.
Badenoch also complained about Poland's success, ignoring its EU membership, and reiterated policies she had previously said would not be introduced until 2027. The collective delusion was total, with the speech serving as a ritual to be endured rather than a meaningful political statement.
