The Conservative Party conference in Manchester has exploded into open warfare as senior ministers began jockeying for position in the inevitable leadership contest to replace Rishi Sunak.
In extraordinary scenes that laid bare the deep divisions within the Tory party, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick used their platform speeches to stake out rival claims to the future leadership.
Leadership Ambitions Laid Bare
While technically supporting the Prime Minister, both ministers delivered addresses that sounded remarkably like leadership manifestos. Jenrick declared the Tories must become "the party of change," while Badenoch positioned herself as the standard-bearer for authentic conservatism.
The very public positioning suggests many within the party have already written off Sunak's chances at the next general election and are preparing for the subsequent battle over the party's soul.
Manchester Mayor Seizes Opportunity
Meanwhile, Labour's Andy Burnham used the Tory infighting to his advantage, demanding the government grant Manchester sweeping new powers over housing, transport, and skills funding.
The Manchester Mayor declared that the current system of devolution has reached its limits, telling ministers: "If you're serious about levelling up, you need to trust us with the tools to finish the job."
Burnham's intervention highlights how regional leaders are capitalising on the Conservative Party's internal turmoil to push their own agendas.
Conference Descends Into Chaos
The Manchester conference centre has become a battleground for the future direction of the Conservative Party, with different factions holding rival events and openly criticising each other's vision for Britain.
This public display of division comes at the worst possible time for Sunak, who needs to present a united front ahead of what most expect to be a challenging general election campaign.
With leadership hopefuls already circling and regional leaders like Burnham demanding more power, the Prime Minister appears to be losing control of both his party and the national political agenda.
