Kemi Badenoch is delivering her first speech of 2025 (more than two weeks into the year) aimed at “rebuilding trust” within the party, hosted by centrist Tory think thank Onward at the Institute of Directors. She’ll admit the Tories made mistakes over their 14 years in power, hammering May’s Net Zero by 2050 plan, the surge in immigration, as well as leaving the EU without a ‘plan for growth’. Expect more on plan first, policies second…
Watch live as Conservative leader @KemiBadenoch gives a speech in central London https://t.co/uMlHuYGqhE
— PA Media (@PA) January 16, 2025
Kemi’s introduced by new Onward director Simon Clarke. No sandwiches in sight…
After saying the Tories won’t make promises without a plan, she explains that her party’s first step is to be an “effective Opposition”, swiftly followed by saying“we need the government to do well so our country can do well” and will “back Starmer when he does the right thing”. Strong…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”