Badenoch vows Tory fight for nation’s future with new tax cuts
At the party conference, Kemi Badenoch pledged tax cuts and framed the next election as a battle for the nation’s soul, attacking Labour’s agenda.
Kemi Badenoch used the Conservative conference to present a suite of tax-cut measures, including a 50% cut to employer national insurance for workers aged 21 to 24, the abolition of the mansion tax on English properties above £2 million, and a reduction in the 40% inheritance-tax threshold. She framed the upcoming election as a "battle for the soul of the nation," arguing that stagnant growth would cause the economy to collapse and that the party’s “golden economic rule” would channel half of any savings into deficit reduction.
Badenoch accused Labour, led by Andy Burnham, of wanting to revert to outdated policies and of treating citizens’ income, pensions and savings as state property. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and other critics labeled the promises as unfunded and highlighted the Conservatives’ past fiscal missteps. The speech also referenced a new policy booklet outlining a limited role for government, echoing Thatcher-era principles. Opposition figures warned that the proposals ignore the country’s current cost-of-living pressures.
Why it matters
The speech outlines the Conservative Party’s fiscal strategy and sets the tone for the next election campaign.
How this story developed
- Sep 3 Richard Tice condemns Chinese imports while Reform UK merch made in China is on sale
- Sep 4 Reform UK invited Bardella to speak at its Birmingham conference.
- Sep 6 West Midlands Police have issued a call for the protester to come forward to assist their inquiry.
- Sep 7 The memorandum was signed, moving the idea from conference discussion to a formal agreement.
- Sep 18 Liberal Democrat members say the party has stalled since its 2024 election surge and aim to adopt a more aggressive tone at this weekend’s conference.
- Sep 22 YouGov's latest seat-by-seat model indicates Reform UK would secure just 123 seats if a general election were called today, a sharp drop from a similar poll a year ago. Labour is forecast to lead with 241 seats, followed by the Conservatives at 130, while the Liberal Democrats hold steady at 71. The results point to the first hung parliament since the 2010 coalition. Reform also appears to be losing its high-profile MPs Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman back to the Conservatives. The party's decline follows recent scandals involving alleged off-the-books polling and the suspension of aides Dan Jukes and James Orr, prompting a Met Police investigation.
- Sep 25 A new YouGov poll shows Reform UK level with the Conservatives and behind Labour.
- Sep 27 The party has moved from internal frustration to publicly unveiling a health‑and‑economy platform at its conference.
- Sep 28 Lee Anderson announced a “whip round” to raise funds for the woman struck with a walking stick.
- Oct 4 Kemi Badenoch opened the Conservative conference by framing the Tories as a common-sense party, unveiling pledges on tighter welfare, prison expansion and free childcare for high-earning families.
- Oct 5 Badenoch pushed to drop the £100,000 childcare tax cap at the conference.
- Oct 5 Conservative minister Kemi Badenoch announced a £10 billion “Britannia Shield” programme to give Britain an Iron-Dome-style missile and drone defence.
- Oct 6 Badenoch rejected claims the scheme mirrors Israel's Iron Dome.
- Oct 6 Announced a cut to employer National Insurance for 21‑ to 24‑year‑olds from 15% to 7.5%.
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