STORY
Kemi Badenoch has used her closing speech to the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham to promise that a future Conservative Government would exempt family homes from inheritance tax. Couples would also be able to leave an additional £1 million tax free, with Badenoch claiming that the changes would more than halve the number of families paying the tax.
The Conservative leader stopped short of promising the immediate abolition of inheritance tax, arguing that resources were also needed for the proposed Britannia Shield air defence system, 50,000 additional prison places and reducing the deficit. She said the Conservatives had identified more than £70 billion of Government savings and would use half of any savings to improve the public finances.
Badenoch also reiterated plans to reduce employer National Insurance for younger workers, reform welfare, lower student loan interest and expand drilling in the North Sea. She attacked Labour’s economic record, ruled out an electoral agreement with Reform UK and said reopening the Brexit debate would be a “terrible idea”, presenting the Conservatives as a distinct alternative to both parties.