Badenoch sets out Conservative policy reset at party conference
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, launched a major policy reset at the party's conference in Birmingham, positioning the party for an election as soon as next year. Drawing on Margaret Thatcher's 1970s approach, Badenoch promised a return to "common sense" Conservative values on the economy, law and order and border control, arguing that the previous Tory government had lost its way.
The policy blitz includes plans for 50,000 new prison places, expanded free childcare, potential scrapping of inheritance tax, and maintaining the pension triple lock. The Conservatives have committed to raising defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, funded partly through welfare cuts. Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith will outline further plans to deregulate business and reform planning rules to reduce new home prices by £50,000.
- Badenoch launches Conservative reset for election within months
- Plans include 50,000 prison places, childcare expansion, defence spending rise
- Previous Tory government blamed for higher taxes, immigration, net zero failures
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The Conservative Party lost the general election in July 2024 and has been in opposition since. Kemi Badenoch, who recently became the party's leader, is using the annual party conference to present a new policy direction.
Badenoch is drawing on Margaret Thatcher's example and arguing that recent Conservative governments lost sight of core party principles. She is emphasising traditional Conservative priorities including border control, law and order, and economic management.
These announcements matter because they show how the Conservative Party plans to rebuild after losing power and present itself as a credible alternative to the current government. The policy reset signals Badenoch's vision for what a future Conservative government would prioritise.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Badenoch's reset represents a necessary return to proven Conservative principles after the previous government strayed from core values. Common sense approaches to law and order (prison capacity), economic growth (deregulation and planning reform), border control, and fiscal discipline have worked historically. Expanding childcare and protecting pensions reflect genuine support for working families, whilst disciplined welfare spending and strong defence demonstrate responsible prioritisation of national strength and security.
The case against
These policies largely rehash approaches already tried by recent Conservative governments with limited success, offering slogans rather than solutions to Britain's complex modern challenges. Expanding prisons without addressing root causes is expensive and ineffective; deregulation will not reduce house prices by £50,000; cutting welfare whilst increasing defence spending reflects troubling priorities; and inheritance tax cuts primarily benefit the wealthy. The claimed £50,000 housing cost reduction appears unrealistic, and welfare cuts may harm vulnerable populations without achieving genuine economic improvement.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Kemi’s common sense blueprint: Unveiling policy blitz at party conference, she hails ‘old school values’ on economy, law and order and borders as the key to election victory”.