Kemi Badenoch Can Announce All The Tax Cuts She Wants. No One Truly Believes She’ll Ever Be Prime Minister

Posted on 08/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Kemi Badenoch has just announced that a Tory government led by her would abolish stamp duty.

The Tory leader also pledged to overturn Labour’s decision to add VAT to private school fees and scrap the changes to inheritance tax which have angered farmers.

She unveiled the eye-catching policies in a better-than-expected speech closing the Conservative conference which should be enough to see off any imminent threats to her leadership.

But the main problem for the party’s leader is that no one truly believes that she will ever be in a position to deliver any of those policies.

New polling from Ipsos shows that barely one in five voters (22%) expect her to ever become prime minister.

Unfortunately for Badenoch, that is not a rogue poll. According to YouGov, just 20% of the public believe she has done well since becoming Tory leader last November, while only 11% believe the Tories are ready for government.

The same pollster also found that half of Tory members believe Badenoch should not lead the party into the next election.

An almost identical number – 49% – do not believe she will still be in post the next time the country goes to the polls.

And even among those who voted for her to be party leader last year, 30% believe Badenoch should be replaced before the next general election.

As if to emphasise the desperate state of the Tories’ popularity, a new poll by More in Common this morning gave Reform UK a 13-point lead over Labour, with the Tories a further point behind on just 19%.

Gideon Skinner, senior UK director at Ipsos ,said: “Kemi Badenoch clearly needs to do more to establish herself as a credible alternative to the current Labour government.

“It’s also the case that Keir Starmer certainly has his own problems in public opinion.

“But so far, it is Reform and Nigel Farage who seem to be benefiting from this more than Kemi Badenoch, while the biggest question still facing the Conservatives is how they can rebuild trust with voters who are still very critical of their legacy, so that they will listen to what they have to say in the first place.”

Like Starmer following last week’s Labour conference, Badenoch will be mightily relieved that this week has gone well for her – despite the noises off about plots to replace her with Robert Jenrick.

However, both leaders still face a date with destiny on May 7 next year, when elections will take place for the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd and in councils across England.

If the opinion polls are even remotely accurate, Labour and the Tories are on course for a disastrous set of results which would in all likelihood seal Starmer and Badenoch’s respective fates.

More in Common’s Luke Tryl said: “Conference speeches rarely in of themselves move the dial. And lots of commentators thought Starmer gave a good speech last week and Reform’s lead grew.

“But I think in this case it will be a good test of whether anyone is still listening. If there’s no shift at all hard to see how anything other than major event gets them back in the game.”

The Tory leader’s policy blitz of the past few days – including a pledge to quit the European Convention on Human Rights – may well by her valuable breathing space.

But the chances of her ever being in position to implement them in government are virtually non-existent.

Kemi Badenoch Unveils Tory Plans To Abolish Stamp Duty

Posted on 08/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Kemi Badenoch has announced the Conservatives would abolish stamp duty if she wins the next election.

In her closing speech at the annual Tory conference in Manchester, the party leader insisted that she had a plan to fix Britain’s “broken model” – including the housing market.

“Young people trapped in the pain of working,” she said.

“Pensioners wanting to downsize. Stamp duty is a bad tax. We must go further. We must free up our housing market’I have looked at the stamp duty thresholds to see where we can change them. I have decided that we can’t. That simply will not be enough.

“Conference, the next Conservative government will abolish stamp duty on your home. It will be gone.”

Stamp duty is a tax property or land buyers have to buy if purchasing a property over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland.

Badenoch claimed she would be able to afford to do this by introducing a “golden economic rule” where “every pound we save will go to work, at least half will go towards cutting the deficit, because living within our means is our first priority.”

She continued: “And with the rest, we will get Britain growing and bring down the taxes which are stifling our economy.”

Although the Tories have consistently polled at less than 20% in recent months, Badenoch also listed all of the tax hikes Labour has already implemented and called them “shameful”.

“The tax burden is so high it is making Britain poorer because business is giving up, business is leaving,” the MP for North West Essex said.

“Britain is being held back by a broken model,” Badenoch claimed. “To fix our country, we must reverse Labour’s broken measures.

“So, we will cancel their vindictive tax on education,” she said, alluding to Labour’s decision to drop the VAT exemption on private schools.

“We will scrap their tax on family farms,” she added, pointing to the government’s decision to tax inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m at 20%.

“We will scrap their tax on family businesses,” Badenoch noted, after Labour introduced a cap on business property relief.

“We will reverse the terrible measures in Angela Rayner’s Unemployment bill, written by the unions, for the unions,” she claimed, attacking the Employment Rights Bill meant to update workers’ rights.

She also announced that “together we would build something better.”

In her speech, Badenoch insisted that “only the Tory Party can deliver the stronger economy and stronger borders that will give people a more prosperous future,” while claiming Starmer is “utterly useless and weak”.

Her remarks come after her shadow chancellor Mel Stride alarmed fellow Tories by admitting he would raise income tax if he were Rachel Reeves and facing a huge fiscal black hole in the government’s finances.

He said this would be “the cleanest thing to do”, because hiking VAT would be inflationary.

His comments sparked immediate backlash from fellow Tories – including from Tory peer David Frost and shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith, who could not hide his astonishment at Stride’s comments yesterday.

Stride also pledged to save £47bn a year, by cutting welfare, civil service and foreign aid.

This policy blitz comes after a quiet period from the Tories, who – ever since Badenoch was appointed as leader last November – have refrained from unveiling any substantial plans for government, until now.

Over the last week, Badenoch has also vowed to cut the civil service to 2016 numbers, promised to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights, deport 150,000 illegal migrants each year, and repeal the Climate Change Act.

Robert Jenrick Mocks Liz Truss In Brutal Tory Conference Jibe At Former Party Leader

Posted on 07/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Robert Jenrick mocked former prime minister Liz Truss with a brutal jibe at the Tory Party conference.

In his keynote speech at the Tory conference in Manchester, Jenrick joked about her ongoing unpopularity with voters.

Truss lasted just 49 days in Downing Street after her mini-Budget crashed the economy and sent mortgage rates soaring.

Jenrick drew a comparison between his party’s former leader and two Tories who were quickly booted out of the Big Brother house.

He said: ”[Former Conservative MP] Sir Michael Fabricant went on the Big Brother house. He lasted four days.

“Last week, one of our party’s most energetic campaigners, Emily Hewertson, entered the Big Brother house. She lasted 11 hours. She didn’t even get to spend the night.

“And now I’ve heard that a third Tory blonde is in negotiations to enter the Big Brother house – Liz Truss. But the negotiations have broken down. She’s asking to be paid by the minute.”

As the audience laughed at their former leader’s expense, Jenrick said: “Too soon, perhaps. Too soon.”

His jibe came after he told the conference earlier this week that the mini-Budget had been “cack-handed and un-conservative”.

“There were big mistakes from that period,” Jenrick said. “We have to be honest about that, and in doing so, we can begin to rebuild the public’s trust.”

Truss hit back on X: “Rob is a self-styled critic of the Blairite establishment but has completely failed to take on their false narrative about 2022 or mention the role of the Bank of England.

“Until the Conservative Party is honest about what happened in 2022, they are destined to remain at 16 per cent in the polls.”

Humiliating Photos Reveal Terrible Turnout For Key Speeches At Tory Conference

Posted on 06/10/2025 by Boris Clair

The number of delegates attending key events at the Conservative Party conference seems to be depressingly low, judging by photos of the main hall.

It’s the party’s first annual gathering since Kemi Badenoch won the leadership contest last November and the atmosphere appears to be particularly flat.

While it’s not too surprising – considering the Tories’ historic loss at the 2024 general election and how they are currently polling at just 16% according to YouGov – it’s a bleak reminder of just how much has changed for the party who were in government only 15 months ago.

Sky News’ Amanda Akass noted that it was “not exactly a packed hall” for the shadow chancellor Mel Stride’s speech today – and attached a photo of a room which appeared to be about two-thirds empty.

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Tory Conference.

This is how far they’ve fallen.

Mel Strides speech as Shadow Chancellor should have been packed.

The reality is.

There were more people in Gala Bingo just around the corner. pic.twitter.com/w1kNBBAAuu

— Goosey (@Goosey30111568) October 6, 2025

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Tory Conference.

This is how far they’ve fallen.

Mel Strides speech as Shadow Chancellor should have been packed.

The reality is.

There were more people in Gala Bingo just around the corner. pic.twitter.com/w1kNBBAAuu

— Goosey (@Goosey30111568) October 6, 2025

GB News also said it was the “quietest” Tory conference seen in the last nine years in an interview with Stride – although he tried to pass this year’s gathering off as a “turning point” for the party.

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‘The atmosphere is quite flat.’

‘I think it is a turning point.’

Ellie Costello asks the Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride, whether the poor attendance at the Conservative Party conference is a sign that the Tories are ‘dying’.

📺 Freeview 236, Sky 512, Virgin 604 pic.twitter.com/kT2UpWeHSk

— GB News (@GBNEWS) October 6, 2025

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‘The atmosphere is quite flat.’

‘I think it is a turning point.’

Ellie Costello asks the Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride, whether the poor attendance at the Conservative Party conference is a sign that the Tories are ‘dying’.

📺 Freeview 236, Sky 512, Virgin 604 pic.twitter.com/kT2UpWeHSk

— GB News (@GBNEWS) October 6, 2025

Other journalists pointed out that even regular Westminster protesters have not bothered to turn up to the Manchester gathering.

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Didn’t see a single protester as I came into the Conservative Party Conference this morning. Even Steve Bray’s sat it out so far. Damning

— Dave Burke (@DaveBurke12) October 6, 2025

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Didn’t see a single protester as I came into the Conservative Party Conference this morning. Even Steve Bray’s sat it out so far. Damning

— Dave Burke (@DaveBurke12) October 6, 2025

And acting deputy comment editor at the Telegraph, Poppy Coburn, said the “membership exodus” was palpable.

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Having gone to 2023 Conservative Conference in Manchester, this year feels utterly depressing. You can really feel the membership exodus

— Poppy Coburn (@kafkaswife) October 5, 2025

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Having gone to 2023 Conservative Conference in Manchester, this year feels utterly depressing. You can really feel the membership exodus

— Poppy Coburn (@kafkaswife) October 5, 2025

The embarrassing evidence of the turnout gave Reform UK an easy win, too.

Leader Nigel Farage claiming: “More people have joined Reform in the past 24 hours than were in the room for Kemi’s conference speech.”

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More people have joined Reform in the past 24 hours than were in the room for Kemi’s conference speech.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) October 5, 2025

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More people have joined Reform in the past 24 hours than were in the room for Kemi’s conference speech.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) October 5, 2025

Naturally, Labour took a pop too, comparing Stride’s claim that the Tories are the “party of hope” and “the party of the future” to the small audience size…

It all comes as YouGov’s latest MRP model revealed that the Conservative would win just 45 seats if an election were held tomorrow.

However, not every post from the conference has been negative – many fringe events seem to be attracting reasonable crowds.

Labour Accused Of Being ‘Worse Than Tories’ Amid New ‘Trumpian’ Clampdown On Protest

Posted on 05/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Labour are being accused of being “worse than the Tories” with the new government crackdown on protests.

The Home Office announced on Sunday that it would be granting police forces new powers to put conditions on repeat demonstrations.

That means if a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end and caused “repeated disorder”, officers could force organisers to hold the event elsewhere.

The Home Office said anyone who breaches these conditions risk arrest and prosecution.

It comes after the Met Police arrested nearly 500 people at protest against the proscription of the Palestine Action group in London on Saturday.

The march went ahead despite calls from the government and the police for the protests to be postponed out of respect for Thursday’s deadly synagogue attack in Manchester where two people were killed.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said current legislation is also being reviewed to make sure it is being applied fully.

Mahmood said: “The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear.”

She added: “Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes.

“This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days.”

Speaking on LBC, the home secretary defended the new measures and insisted it was a good use of police time.

She said: “I have no truck with this argument that suggest that police resources are better deployed elsewhere, enabling mass criminality by people who have a political point to make.”

LBC presenter Lewis Goodall said that human rights organisations are starting to accuse Britain of “showing authoritarian tendency” by arresting people for doing nothing more than “holding up placard”.

She replied: “What Britain is doing is making sure the law of our land is maintained.

“It is not ‘holding up a placard’, and I really must pick you up on that, Lewis, in holding up a placard, you are breaking the law because you are supporting a proscribed organisation.”

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“Mass criminality? Holding up a placard…\"

Shabana Mahmood denies that the government is showing signs of ‘authoritarianism’ as they continue to clamp down on peaceful protest. pic.twitter.com/FzByKvbPVb

— LBC (@LBC) October 5, 2025

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“Mass criminality? Holding up a placard…”

Shabana Mahmood denies that the government is showing signs of ‘authoritarianism’ as they continue to clamp down on peaceful protest. pic.twitter.com/FzByKvbPVb

— LBC (@LBC) October 5, 2025

Not many others felt the same way online though.

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, who used to be Labour leader, described the crackdown as a “disgraceful assault on the right to protest”.

Many other critics compared it to the Conservatives’ enhancement of police powers during their time in office, and claimed Labour were “giving the incoming Reform government everything they could wish for”.

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A disgraceful assault on the right to protest.

The UK government is complicit in genocide. Anyone who understands the meaning of these words knows full well why we continue to speak out.

See you on 11 October for the largest demonstration for Palestine in British history. https://t.co/5ut9TV5wIy

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 5, 2025

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A disgraceful assault on the right to protest.

The UK government is complicit in genocide. Anyone who understands the meaning of these words knows full well why we continue to speak out.

See you on 11 October for the largest demonstration for Palestine in British history. https://t.co/5ut9TV5wIy

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 5, 2025

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I can’t possibly see this being misused! Zero chance that people who don’t like pro Palestine protests will see their own causes affected! There’s no chance whatsoever that the government could seek to clamp down on protests on domestic issues! https://t.co/23w7Eh1T48

— Christopher Waller (@christhebull) October 5, 2025

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I can’t possibly see this being misused! Zero chance that people who don’t like pro Palestine protests will see their own causes affected! There’s no chance whatsoever that the government could seek to clamp down on protests on domestic issues! https://t.co/23w7Eh1T48

— Christopher Waller (@christhebull) October 5, 2025

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Remember – the restrictions on free speech that you support for those who you disagree with, will one day be used to restrict your free speech. https://t.co/fZS41KCCd3

— Helena Horton (@horton_official) October 5, 2025

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Remember – the restrictions on free speech that you support for those who you disagree with, will one day be used to restrict your free speech. https://t.co/fZS41KCCd3

— Helena Horton (@horton_official) October 5, 2025

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The right to protest is what defines us as a democratic society. Protests, though sometimes inconvenient or disruptive, are a fundamental right of British citizens. There will be times when we disagree with a cause or how it is expressed, but enforcing laws that restrict protest… https://t.co/Lc2Y40F700

— Rebecca Ferguson MBE (@RebeccaFMusic) October 5, 2025

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The right to protest is what defines us as a democratic society. Protests, though sometimes inconvenient or disruptive, are a fundamental right of British citizens. There will be times when we disagree with a cause or how it is expressed, but enforcing laws that restrict protest… https://t.co/Lc2Y40F700

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‘You Have No Idea!’ Kemi Badenoch Hits Back At Laura Kuenssberg Over Tories’ Dreadful Polling

Posted on 05/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Kemi Badenoch angrily hit back at Laura Kuenssberg this morning over the Tories’ poor performance in the polls.

According to YouGov research from mid-September, just 16% of the public said they would be willing to vote Conservative – a shocking decline from a party that were in power 15 months ago.

There’s also been an exodus of former Tory ministers joining Reform, including one of Badenoch’s own frontbenchers in the shadow cabinet, Danny Kruger.

But, speaking on the first day of the Conservatives’ annual conference in Manchester, Badenoch tried to downplay criticism that she needed to do more to help her party.

The BBC’s Kuenssberg tried to bring up the topic by saying: “While you have been working out exactly what you wanted to do, the Conservative Party’s position – which was already dreadful – has got worse –”

But Badenoch cut in: “Laura. Polls are not elections.

“If I had rushed out and said all those things right at the beginning, people would have said, ‘Why should we believe you? Why have you suddenly changed?’

“Simply saying something doesn’t mean you’re going to be fine in the polls.

“What you’re saying is a counterfactual. You don’t know that if I had rushed out all of those things right at the beginning that we would be doing well. You have no idea.

“What I’m doing is being very consistent. I’m saying, vote for me, we will get through this, we’re going to have very clear credible plans, they’re not going to fall apart the minute someone asks a question like you get with Reform.”

During the same interview, Badenoch did actually refuse to many detailed questions about her new plan to control the country’s borders by removing 150,000 people with “no right” to be in the UK per year.

When Kuenssberg asked where these so-called illegal migrants would be deported, the Tory leader said: “I am tired of answering these irrelevant questions about where they should go. They will go back to where they should be or another country, but they should not be here!”

The MP for North West Essex also used her time on air to lay into Labour, claiming: “We’re not going to waste our time in opposition – like Labour did, they had 14 years in opposition, and they’ve got nothing.”

But the Tory leader has been heavily criticised herself for taking such a long time to come up with many firm policies, despite winning the leadership contest last November.

Kuenssberg concluded their interview by asking Badenoch: “What if the problem is you?”

She replied: “I was elected to do exactly what I am doing now. And I think Conservative Party members are going to keep their faith in me.”

She refused to say she would resign if the Tories performed poorly in the May local elections.

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🚨🎥 WATCH: Kemi Badenoch hits back at claims her slow policy rollout hurt the Tories’ polling

\"What you’re saying is counterfactual. You don’t know that if I had rushed out all those things right at the beginning that we would be doing well, you have no idea\" pic.twitter.com/pBt6Wr1vpy

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 5, 2025

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You don’t know that if I had rushed out all those things right at the beginning that we would be doing well, you have no idea\" pic.twitter.com/pBt6Wr1vpy— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 5, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":614,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1974761474930212864/img/SzAX8EQuHwWKDK9Y.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1108,"title":"Politics UK on Twitter / 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🚨🎥 WATCH: Kemi Badenoch hits back at claims her slow policy rollout hurt the Tories’ polling

“What you’re saying is counterfactual. You don’t know that if I had rushed out all those things right at the beginning that we would be doing well, you have no idea” pic.twitter.com/pBt6Wr1vpy

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 5, 2025

Putin Hits Back At Trump’s New Criticisms Of Russia With A Classic Playground Insult

Posted on 03/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Vladimir Putin seems to have resorted to childish tactics to hit back at Donald Trump after the US president turned on Russia last week.

Until recently, Trump tried repeatedly to force Moscow to end its war in Ukraine through flattery, even offering up a peace deal on Putin’s terms – and suggesting Ukraine should give up its sovereign land.

But, after months of failed attempts at negotiations, Trump blasted Russia and unexpectedly claimed Ukraine could win the conflict instead.

The US president even called Russia a “paper tiger” – a seemingly powerful entity who is actually ineffective – last week.

Now Putin has responded by simply turning the insult back on Nato, and insisting the defence alliance is the real “paper tiger.”

Speaking on Thursday, he said: “A paper tiger. What follows then? Go and deal with this paper tiger.

“Well, if we are fighting with the entire Nato bloc, we are moving, advancing, and we feel confident, and we are a ‘paper tiger’, then what is Nato itself?”

According to Reuters news agency, he insisted his forces were advancing along the entire warfront in Ukraine – and alleged that almost all of the US-led Nato alliance was now fighting against Moscow.

He also issued a stern warning to the US over the possibility that Trump might give Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, something the White House is yet to confirm.

Putin claimed: “It is impossible to use Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel.

“This will mean a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States.”

But Putin had a flippant response to European claims he had launched drone incursions over Poland and fighter jets over Estonia.

He said: “I won’t do it anymore – to France, Denmark, Copenhagen, Lisbon – wherever they could reach.”

He claimed the most recent accusations that Russian drones had flown over Denmark were parts of Nato efforts to “inflame tensions to boost defence spending”.

Europe is taking these provocations much more seriously, though.

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said “this is war” on Thursday, and called on Nato to abandon “illusions” and confront a “new type of war”.

The EU has also launched a drone wall initiative to boost its eastern flanks amid fears Putin is testing the bloc’s defences.

But Putin still insisted alleged plans of Russia trying to attack a Nato member were “impossible to believe” on Thursday.

“I just want to say: cool down, sleep calmly, and take care of your own problems. Just take a look at what’s happening on the streets of European cities,” he claimed.

But – in typical Kremlin fashion – he added: “If anyone still has a desire to compete with us in the military sphere, as we say, feel free, let them try. Russia’s countermeasures will not be long in coming.

Putin often falsely portrays his Ukraine invasion as something he was forced into by Nato’s expansion eastwards, rather than the land grab the West believes it to be.

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