Kemi Badenoch brazenly claimed only her party tackle Britain’s problems as she glossed over the Tory record – with a rabbit in a hat stamp duty announcement
Kemi Badenoch has brazenly claimed her party is the only one who can undo the things it broke in 14 years in power.
In a make-or-break speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester she vowed to rip up Stamp Duty if she ever becomes PM. Mrs Badenoch also said she would restrict access to Motability vehicles and make it illegal for doctors to strike.
She whined young people feel “things never get any better” as she attempted to gloss over her party’s dire record in power. In a veiled reference to Nigel Farage she said it would be folly to “wrestle with a pig” – more on that below.
Here we look at some of the key takeaways and bombshells from her speech.
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1. Room full for leader’s speech
Perhaps the Tory leader’s biggest victory was that the room was full.
While her key lieutenants – including Sir Mel Stride, Robert Jenrick and Chris Philp – did their thing in front of rows of empty seats, the Tory chief at least drew a crowd. She thanked those present for sticking with the embattled party.
Mrs Badenoch said: “Ladies and gentlemen, conference, thank you. Thank you for standing by the only party that can meet the test of our generation, the only party that can deliver a stronger economy and stronger borders.”
2. Pledge to scrap Stamp Duty
Mrs Badenoch left it late in her speech to pull a rabbit out the hat.
She announced that if the Tories ever return to Government, they will abolish Stamp Duty. Met with loud cheers from the room she told delegates: “I thought you’d like that.”
She announced: “Stamp Duty is a bad tax. We must free up our housing market, because a society where no one can afford to buy or move is a society where social mobility is dead.”
And she said: “The next Conservative government will abolish Stamp Duty on your home,” she said.
3. ‘Never wrestle with a pig’ jab at Farage
The Tory leader made only a passing reference to Nigel Farage – in stark contrast to Labour and the Lib Dems in the past fortnight.
Mrs Badenoch signalled she did not intend to get into public scraps with the Reform chief.
The Tory leader said of other parties: “But we can’t beat them, simply by attacking them. As George Bernard Shaw said: ‘Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.’
“We have to offer something better.”
4. Restricting Motability cars
The Tory leader vowed to restrict eligibility for motability cars, telling the conference they are “not for people with ADHD”.
Mrs Badenoch said: “We will restrict motability vehicles to people with serious disabilities. Those cars are not for people with ADHD.”
The vehicles – including cars, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs – are available for people with disabilities.
5. Stop doctors going on strike
The Tory leader reiterated her call for doctors to be banned from striking.
Mrs Badenoch lashed out at the wave of strikes – which caused a nightmare for patients when her party was in charge – saying “enough is enough”.
She said: “In the NHS, industrial action has kept waiting lists high for far too long. Enough is enough.
“We will ban doctors from going on strike.”
6. China and Poland are doing way better
The former Business Secretary, who was a member of the Cabinet until last July, moaned that businesses in China and Poland are enjoying better times.
She told delegates: “While Britain was defining what a woman is, China was building five nuclear reactors,” she said. No nuclear reactors were completed while the Conservatives were in power.
Young people “feel they are living somewhere where things never get any better”, she said. Glossing over the Tory economic record she said: “We need a positive vision for this country and a plan to deliver it.
“We need a new approach, a new approach that delivers a stronger economy and stronger builders. We owe that to our children.”
7. Wink at Robert Jenrick over fare evaders
In July Shadow Justice Secretary went on a crusade against fare dodgers, posting a video of him challenging people on the London tube.
In a show of solidarity with her leadership rival – who Keir Starmer quipped has not stopped campaigning for the top Tory job – Ms Badenoch praised his work.
She said: “The Shadow Justice Secretary is stopping more fare evaders than Transport for London. Thank you, Rob.”
8. Rip up Labour policies
Mrs Badenoch pledged to rip up a raft of Labour policies during her speech – brazenly claiming that the Conservative Party is the only party able to fix Britain’s problems (despite being in power for 14 years…)
In a ranting section of her address, she pledged: “Drilling in the North Sea. An end to the energy profits levy. Scrapping the family farm tax. Scrapping the family business tax. Scrapping VAT on school fees. Out of the ECHR. A plan for our borders, a plan for a stronger economy.”
She also claimed Labour has “bent over to the teaching unions and are removing our academy freedoms”, adding: “We will reverse this act of educational vandalism.”
9. Revival of magic money tree jibe
Mrs Badenoch resurrected Theresa May’s “magic money tree” jibe as she had a dig at her rival party leaders.
The Tory chief whined: “Last year, the public voted for change, but all they have been given is change for the worse.
“And because they are still angry with us, parties that in normal times will never be seen as a serious option for government are gaining ground, making promises they will never be able to keep.”
She went on: “Reform, promising free beer tomorrow; Jeremy Corbyn, promising free jam; Lib Dems, promising free lettuce; all of them promising more spending, blowing up the public finances.
“Whether it’s Starmer, Farage, Corbyn or Davey, all these men are shaking the same magic money tree, following the same failed playbook, no plans for growth, no honesty about the scale of the challenges. And it always leads to the same result, more government, more taxes, more debt.”
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