Badenoch hopes to grab attention with policy blitz

"The country's most successful political party, when it comes to winning elections, finds itself in a position as dire as it is unprecedented. They were crushed in a general election and have gone backwards since. The Conservatives' opinion poll ratings are desperate. Kemi Badenoch's position as leader remains perilous because of this. But there's been a concerted effort over the last few days here at the Conservative Party conference to give the party something to talk about, in other words: a blitz of policy."

"And from one or two conversations I've had after her speech, including from some internal sceptics, "pleasant surprise" is a recurring theme. In Badenoch's first keynote speech to the conference, there was one big reveal. They were so excited about it that they didn't tell us in advance. It was new to us, and to many in the party too: the abolition of stamp duty on main homes in England and Northern Ireland."

"Put alongside proposed savings of 47bn, the Conservatives think this amounts to claiming back the mantle of economic responsibility in a way that ordinary households can notice. But the key thing here is that yes, the party has given itself something to talk about, but is anyone listening? As a new leader, Badenoch did not want to rush into announcing policies. Partly out of an authentic belief that you've got to think things through before you announce them, so she talked about policies, not announcements, detail, not just headlines."

Kemi Badenoch's Conservative Party faces historically poor poll ratings and leadership peril after electoral defeats. Conference attendees delivered a concentrated burst of policy proposals intended to shift focus to tangible benefits for households. The conference featured the surprise announcement of abolishing stamp duty on main homes in England and Northern Ireland, paired with proposed savings of 47bn. The leadership frames these measures as reclaiming economic responsibility in visible ways. Badenoch emphasized careful policy development rather than rushed announcements, warning that premature policy disclosure risks ideas being appropriated or becoming obsolete before implementation. Conference participants showed determination despite lower turnout.

Read at www.bbc.com