Kemi is the final of the four. The fever dream beauty parade ends after this…
Keynote Speech at Conservative Party Conference 2024 https://t.co/KTpdywXDeI
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) October 2, 2024
A rabble-rousing speech. In summary:
- Starts: “It is time to tell the truth.”
- She says enough of politicians doing their own thing, bemoans spin.
- The Conservative Party reverses decline, the country needs it.
- She grew up in a place of fear.
- She is a Conservative because she has seen what happens when a country loses sight of Conservative principles.
- Party lost faith and stopped acting like Conservatives, and acted like managers. Going after Labour votes lost Tory votes.
- No greater example than Net Zero.
- Promises must come with a plan. Plans should be based on principles. Tories did not keep their promises in government. Taxes and immigration.
- Where is the wealth creation of the 1980s? Wealth is not a dirty word. It should be defended and encouraged.
- Labour targets savers and wealth creators while taking money from a millionaire.
- Battle for ideas against the left is now on. Against “socialism in a suit.”
- Pitch to youth.
- Declares victory on trans as Labour now sides with her.
- “If the law says you cannot deport a foreign child abuser, than the law is an ass.”
- If Kemi is leader a comprehensive programme will be initiated not seen since the likes of Keith Joseph’s.
- Targets Human Rights Act, Equality Act, Civil Service, Health Service, Quangos, Bank of England, Judicial Review. “Rewire, reboot, reprogramme.”
- Party is not a club or faction but a movement.
- Jokes about people saying she likes a fight: “I don’t know where they got that idea.”
- “We are going to have fun” in opposition.
- Defends capitalism and enterprise to beat poverty. Take the shackles off the economy so that it can fly.
The members liked that one…
Now that Tugendhat has finished it’s James Cleverly’s turn to put up a video and give a 20-minute speech to Tory Conference. This competition is still to play for…
Watch Live: My speech to Conservative Party Conference
https://t.co/bibDF0TXm1— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) October 2, 2024
A video with a smattering of Cleverly’s supporters across the party factions says we need a winner. The main points:
- Tory Parliamentary Party needs to say sorry. It has to be better, it will be under him.
- He didn’t plan on standing for leader, could have spent more time with his Warhammer figures.
- Talks about time as reservist, and getting sent to serve in Luton.
- Ronald Reagan is his political hero, most admires his optimism. “Let’s be more normal.”
- “Serve the benefits of Conservatism with a smile.” This will win back voters who went to the three other parties.
- Tories should be proud of their record. Compare that with Labour – a party drunk on power who lied to people.
- Reform didn’t deliver Brexit, Reform didn’t cut immigration, I did.
- Farage and Starmer two sides of the same coin – both think life was better in the past. Our best days are ahead of us. Says he is “in the business of the future.”
- Get rid of bad taxes, like Stamp Duty.
- “The state must never take more than half of any pound you have earned.”
- Took on unions as London AM member, as Tory chairmen got candidates selected in record time for 2019 – got Boris elected and Brexit done.
- No more stitch-ups for candidate selection.
- “We must choose someone to lead us who has already done their apprenticeship.”
- Foreign Secretary: He told the Chinese foreign minister: “Do not invade Taiwan.”
- First to go to Israel following 7th October attacks.
- Attack on Jenrick: Didn’t “walk away” from immigration issue as Home Secretary.
- Held police accountable for actions and inactions over Gaza.
- “If you want a winner, choose one. Choose the candidate Farage, Starmer, and Davey fear the most.”
An assured performance with one or two policies in there…
Ahead of the Tory leadership candidates’ flagship speeches this morning Nigel Farage has helpfully appeared on Good Morning Britain to provide his views.
“They’ll speak today in the conference hall to be the next Tory leader – they all think with a new leader it’ll all be fine, ‘the voters will come back to us’ and what they don’t understand is that the Conservative brand is completely damaged they have no chance of winning the next election.”
Farage does beat every single hopeful by a wide margin with the public on having “what it takes to be a good Prime Minister” according to Ipsos. Meanwhile a majority of Tory members want an official merger with Reform and 70% want a closer relationship. Nigel slapped down that idea again, too…
“I wouldn’t trust them anyway, they have a pattern of behavior – pretending to be one thing and then when they’re in government being quite the opposite. And and frankly what I’m trying to do with Reform is to replace them.”
Leadership hopefuls have been jollying around a Conference buoyed by Labour’s bad press. They have made almost no progress on articulating a real strategy for what to do about Nigel. Without one, if Westminster returns to the politics of two parties, the Tories might not find themselves one of them…
It’s fever pitch among the leadership hopefuls at Conference as they desperately try to drum up support. This afternoon the Express threw a drinks reception in partnership with the Common Sense Group to chat with readers and members about their campaigns. Political Editor Sam Lister took the stage, capping off her remarks with, “Without further ado, please welcome Grant Shapps.” But before Shapps could even make it to the stage, someone near the door shouted: “Wait! We have a surprise guest!” Enter Robert Jenrick, running onto the stage to steal the mic…
Jenrick kept it brief—some nods to “common sense” and the Express before imploring the room to “please support and back” him. He then hurried off out. When a bemused Shapps finally got hold of the microphone, he admitted: “I’m not actually backing Jenrick, but it’s great to see four strong candidates in the race.” Meanwhile, Guido is told that Kemi appears to be walking around conference with a microphone, recording every conversation she has, so hacks can’t misrepresent her comments. Only one more day…
UPDATE: Guido is told Kemi’s mics are to get content with members for a video.
Now it’s James Cleverly’s turn to take 30 minutes of questions from Chris Hope and then 30 minutes from members. The last one…
Summary below:
Yesterday it was Tugendhat and Badenoch. Now it’s Robert Jenrick’s turn to field questions from Chris Hope and Tory members at Conference. There’s been a row this morning over his claim that SAS personnel are “killing rather than capturing” terrorists thanks to the ECHR. The bookies’ favourite will have the chance to calm the baying mob. Of rival candidates…
30 minutes with Chris Hope and 30 minutes of members’ questions. Guido will add a summary below…
