The Conservative Party conference in Manchester has been rocked by internal warfare as former business secretary Kemi Badenoch launched a devastating public critique of the government's handling of crucial trade negotiations with India.
A Stunning Broadside
In an extraordinary intervention that sent shockwaves through Westminster, Badenoch declared the current India trade deal approach "not a serious policy" and warned it could leave Britain "high and dry." The public dressing-down represents one of the most significant rebellions against Rishi Sunak's leadership to date.
Conference in Chaos
The Manchester gathering, intended to showcase Tory unity ahead of the next election, has instead become a battleground for the party's future direction. Badenoch's intervention overshadowed planned government announcements and exposed the deep fractures running through the Conservative ranks.
Key Points of Contention:
- Badenoch accused current negotiators of abandoning her "hard-headed" approach to the trade deal
- The former minister warned against sacrificing British standards and interests for quick headlines
- Senior Tories are now openly questioning Sunak's authority and negotiation strategy
- The public split threatens to derail one of the government's key post-Brexit trade priorities
Leadership Positioning
Political analysts view Badenoch's move as a clear positioning for a future leadership contest. By establishing herself as the standard-bearer for principled conservatism, she appeals to the party's right wing while distancing herself from what she characterises as Sunak's compromised approach.
Labour's Response
Meanwhile, Labour leader Keir Starmer seized on the Conservative infighting, using his own conference speech to position his party as the stable, competent alternative. Starmer emphasised Labour's readiness to govern and criticised the Tories for being too consumed with internal battles to address the country's pressing issues.
What Happens Next?
The public airing of Tory dirty laundry raises serious questions about the government's ability to deliver on its trade agenda. With Badenoch's supporters rallying behind her critique and Sunak loyalists pushing back, the Conservative Party appears to be heading for a prolonged period of internal conflict that could define its electoral prospects.
The Manchester conference may be remembered as the moment the Tory civil war moved from behind closed doors to centre stage, with Kemi Badenoch emerging as the unlikely standard-bearer for the discontented right.
