Tag: 2025

  • Kemi Badenoch – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Kemi Badenoch – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, in Manchester on 8 October 2025.

    Only the Conservative party can deliver the stronger economy and stronger borders that will give people a more prosperous future.

    Every generation must face its test.

    In the 1940s, our test was to defeat fascism and ensure the victory of freedom.

    In the 1980s, it was to banish socialism and deliver prosperity.

    And in the 2020s, our test is to restore a strong economy, secure our borders, and rebuild Britain’s strength so our children inherit a country that works.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, Conference, thank you.

    Thank you, for standing by the only party that can meet the test of our generation.

    The only party that can deliver a stronger economy and stronger borders.

    Everything else relies on getting this right.

    National security, order on the streets, decent healthcare, high quality education, cohesion in our communities.

    None of this exists without a strong economy and strong borders.

    A weak economy makes us poorer.

    The services we rely on get worse and people cannot build a better life for themselves or their families.

    Weak borders allow people to exploit our generosity, put our housing and public services under pressure, and fracture our sense of who we are as a nation.

    A weak economy and weak borders mean steady decline.

    I reject that fate.

    Together, we Conservatives will save Britain from that fate.

    And we can do it together because we are a strong team.

    My fantastic shadow cabinet Mel, Chris, Claire, Laura, Rob, Andrew – both of them, James – both of them, Mims, Jesse Stuart, all of you: thank you. Thank you so much.

    My front bench, experienced hands and rising stars.

    Conference, we know our MPs and peers have more collective wisdom than the rest of Parliament put together.

    And it’s not just them, lets to forget Darren and our MSs in Wales, Russell and our MSPs in Scotland, our fantastic mayors.

    Labour beater Ben Houchen and Reform slayer Paul Bristow, Councillors, activists.

    You are our party. Thank you.

    I joined our party as an activist 20 years ago.

    I was with you delivering leaflets and knocking on doors.

    I sat in this hall listening to speeches.

    I celebrated all our wins, and I felt the pain of every defeat.

    I cannot tell you how honoured, how privileged, and how proud I am to stand before you as Leader of our party.

    Leader of the Conservative Party.

    The only party that can meet the test of our generation.

    You are more than just a political party to me.

    You have supported me, you have stood by me, you have enabled me to achieve more than I ever dreamed.

    You are my family, in many ways quite literally.

    I married the deputy chairman of my association, and I certainly would not be standing here today without my husband, Hamish. Thank you.

    I love this party for what it has given me but more than that, I love it because it has made life better for so many in our country and will do so again.

    Time and time again, guided by our values.

    And our principles.

    We have steered this country through its darkest days.

    And today, we must be ready to do the same again.

    Because we are the only party that has the vision, the courage, and the competence to tear up a broken political model, deliver a new blueprint for our country, and together take Britain into an era of prosperity and security.

    To do this, Conference, we must be frank about the problems our country faces.

    Because they are not the same ones that we faced in the 1940s, or the 1980s, or even the 2010s.

    The country that Hamish and I were born in, had its issues.

    But thanks – in large part – to hard choices taken by this party

    Opportunity was there for people who worked hard.

    People had a sense of pride in our national story, and excitement about the future.

    I am not sure young people feel that way anymore.

    They feel they are living somewhere where things never get any better.

    Britain is stagnating, while the world around us moves on.

    We are competing with restless and ambitious countries around the world.

    We are competing with a billion people in India striving to become middle class.

    We are competing with economic success stories like Poland.

    15 years ago, Polish workers came here to find opportunity.

    Now, Poland is growing twice as fast as we are.

    While Britain was redefining what a woman is, China was building five nuclear reactors.

    Conference, people around the world are determined to lift their lives, and their children’s lives up to a standard that we have taken for granted.

    Some countries won’t be able to do this.

    And in those countries millions of people will decide that they want to come here instead.

    And if our borders are not secure, they will succeed.

    Especially, if our economy is addicted to migration.

    Of course, we want brilliant minds and great talents to come here.

    But at the moment we are not just taking in doctors, engineers, and scientists.

    We are accepting hundreds of thousands of people, some with many dependents.

    Some with no skills at all.

    This broken immigration model is heaping pressure on our public sector.

    A public sector which already every year, demands more and more and more of our money, yet services don’t get better, they get worse.

    Everyone in this room knows what I am talking about.

    We have all felt it.

    We used to ring up our GP and get an appointment the same day.

    Now, now we have to wait on the phone to see if we’re one of the lucky ones.

    We have potholes that have been around, so long people are holding birthday parties for them.

    Underneath all of this, is a society which is struggling to cope.

    Struggling to cope with the reality of getting poorer, struggling to cope with the erosion of a sense of who we are as a country.

    We cannot drift our way into solving these problems.

    We know what drift looks like.

    It looks like allowing the trade unions to overturn years of progress in school standards.

    It looks like letting our veterans face vexatious prosecutions when we should be worrying about the strength of our military.

    Drift looks like Labour’s one-in-one-out returns deal with France that ends up letting 100 people in, for every one who leaves.

    Being timid will get us nowhere.

    We need bold ideas.

    We need a positive vision for this country.

    And a plan to deliver it.    

    We need a new approach.

    A new approach that delivers a stronger economy and stronger borders.

    We owe that to our children.

    During our time in government, we did great things.

    Labour, want to pretend the last 14 years were all bad.

    They want to forget that they were losing all that time.

    Let’s remind them.

    Between 2010 and 2020 we slashed the deficit.

    We lifted millions of people out of tax and got millions in to work.

    We sent English schools soaring up the international league tables.

    We led the coalition against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    But Conference, the truth is we didn’t always fight hard enough for what we believed in.

    We need to remember who we are fighting for.

    We are fighting for people who work hard and do the right thing.

    We are fighting for people who ask, “why do sickness benefits pay more than the minimum wage?”

    More than the living wage even.

    We are fighting for small business owners, people who take risks and get things done.

    We are fighting for the victims of crime.

    They want to know that we are on their side.

    That criminals will face the full force of the law.

    We are fighting for the farmers, putting food on our tables.

    These are our people.

    They are the backbone of our country.

    We fought for them before.

    And we will fight for them again.

    Conference, time and time again, we have been the only party that is bold enough to do what is needed.

    The only party that is competent enough to do it properly.  

    We were bold enough to create the modern police force, to introduce free state education for every child.

    We were radical enough to launch the Right to Buy, to free the workplace from the dead hand of the state, to give working men the vote and — better late than never — women too.

    We were courageous enough to introduce same-sex marriage.

    And of course, brave enough to take Britain out of the European Union, honouring the biggest democratic mandate in our history.

    All, Conservative, achievements.

    Yes, all of that was us.

    But enough about past glories.

    Actually, how about one more.

    Conference, do you know the one thing we Conservatives have done the most throughout our history?

    Clear up the mess left by Labour.

    And my goodness, they are making one hell of a mess.

    Never in the field of human history have so many been let down by so few.

    All they have delivered is a doom loop of higher taxes, weaker borders, and month after month of chaos.

    They had a plan to win, but no plan for power.

    No vision for Britain.

    They know how to make promises, but not how to deliver them.

    This year, the Prime Minister was asked to name his best moment in office.

    Do you know what he said?

    “Walking into Downing Street.”

    For once, I agree with him.

    It’s all been downhill all the way since.

    What have Labour given us?

    An anti-corruption minister under investigation for corruption.

    A homelessness minister who made her own tenants homeless.

    A Housing Secretary sacked for dodging housing taxes.

    You couldn’t make this stuff up.

    We had a transport secretary fired for stealing a phone.

    And our Ambassador in Washington thrown out in disgrace.

    There is an old joke, that a diplomat is someone sent abroad to lie for their country. Well at least in Peter Mandelson they had a man of experience.

    Just look at the spectacle we saw in Liverpool last week.

    Minister after Minister failing to rule out the tax rises, we all know are coming.

    The Mayor of Manchester touting his own manifesto for the country.

    But to be honest I can’t blame Andy Burnham for that one, who doesn’t want to get rid of this utterly useless weak Prime Minister.

    After five years as Labour leader, people still don’t know what Keir Starmer stands for.

    And you know what the real problem is?

    He doesn’t know himself.

    Today we learn, today we learn that Labour deliberately collapsed the trial of two men accused of spying on MPs for China because the PM wants to suck up to Beijing.

    This is squalid.

    We have got the measure of them.

    Just look at Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary.

    She’s trying to convince us she’s tough.

    Right.

    I remember when she tried to stop foreign criminals being deported. Do you remember that one?

    I remember when she lay down on the ground in front of a Sainsbury’s protesting because they were selling food from Israel.

    So, forgive me, if I treat this new-found tough image with a little scepticism. You remember.

    Labour represents everything that is wrong with politics.

    Rachel Reeves likes to congratulate herself for breaking the glass ceiling.

    But what she’s really broken, is our economy.

    Attacking those who work hard, destroying business confidence, forcing wealth creators to leave the country, piling debt onto our children.

    We know, that in her November Budget of Doom, she will give us all something to cry about.

    The highest business taxes since the 1970s.

    Taxes on farmers.

    Taxes on education – an unprecedented tax punishing parents who work hard to invest in their children’s future.

    Shameful.

    The tax burden is so high.

    It is making Britain poorer.

    Because business is giving up.

    Business is leaving.

    And as they leave, or never start in the first place, people’s livelihoods, people’s hopes, people’s dreams, go with them.

    Grangemouth refinery gone, Merck, BMW, Ineos pulling investment.

    Schools for children with special needs, are shutting their doors.

    Farmers feeling they’ve got no way out.

    The London Stock Exchange dropping out of the world’s top 20 for listings.

    Our party knows that a job is the best route out of poverty.

    We got unemployment to a 40-year low.

    And what has happened since Labour came in?

    A jobs tax.

    Unemployment up.

    Inflation up.

    Borrowing up.

    These are the real-life consequences of a weak, directionless, government.

    Conference, last year, the public voted for change.

    But all they have been given is change for the worse.

    And because they are still angry with us, parties that in normal times would never be seen as a serious option for government are gaining ground, making promises they will never be able to keep.

    Let’s look at what’s on offer out there. for all those disappointed by Labour.

    Reform promising free beer tomorrow.

    Jeremy Corbyn promising free jam.

    Lib Dems promising free lentils.

    All of them promising more spending.

    Blowing up the public finances.

    Whether it’s Starmer, Farage, Corbyn or Davey all these men are shaking the same magic money tree.

    Following the same, failed playbook.

    No plan for growth.

    No honesty about the scale of the challenges.

    And it always leads to the same result.

    More government, more taxes, more debt.

    It’s irresponsible, it’s cynical, and it’s why Britain needs Conservatives back in charge.

    But we can’t beat them, simply by attacking them.

    As George Bernard Shaw said.

    ‘Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.’

    We have to offer something better.

    So, what are we going to do?

    Conference, as you may have heard, I am an engineer.

    My starting point is always to carry out a diagnosis, before producing the blueprint to put it right.

    Since I became your leader, my Shadow Cabinet and I have analysed the problems facing the country.

    Our diagnosis is clear: Britain is being held back by a broken model.

    A model which says that government always knows best.

    That high immigration is always good for the economy.

    That Britain should apologise for its history rather than be proud of it.

    We lost because we accepted the status quo.

    No more.

    When Margaret Thatcher was Leader of the Opposition, she said this.

    “If every Labour Government is prepared to reverse every Tory measure, while Conservative Governments accept nearly all socialist measures the end result is only too plain.”

    She was right. To fix our country, we must reverse Labour’s measures.

    So, we will cancel their vindictive tax on education, Vicki knows what’s coming, we will scrap their tax on family farms, Andrew, we will scrap their tax on family businesses.

    And we will reverse the terrible measures in Angela Rayner’s Unemployment Bill, written by the unions, for the unions.

    A bill that will wrap firms in red tape.

    Cost business £5 billion.

    And make Angela Rayner one of the last people in Britain to ever be legally sacked.

    But conference, simply unwinding Labour measures isn’t enough.

    We are Conservatives, not anarchists.

    I am an engineer, not an arsonist.

    So together, we are going to build something better.

    We are creating a Blueprint for Britain – a new settlement – based on Conservative values.

    So, what’s in it?

    Firstly, securing our borders.

    On Sunday I announced our plan.

    To take the UK out of the ECHR.

    To scrap the Human Rights Act.

    To deport 150,000 illegal immigrants.

    This is a plan, not a slogan.

    Next in my blueprint, work, and welfare.

    If we want to end our over-reliance on immigration, then we must make sure that every British citizen who can work, does work.

    Right now, there are six and a half million working age adults claiming benefits instead of working.

    You heard me right six and a half million.

    That is the entire population of Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, and Manchester.

    Combined.

    Being paid to sit at home all day.

    We cannot expect people to get up and go to work, and pay more and more in taxes, to subsidise millions of others not to work.

    It is not controversial to say this.

    Conference, we have done the hard work.

    And we have a plan to cut welfare spending.

    First, British benefits for British Citizens.

    It is common sense that you should not draw out of a system that you haven’t paid in to.

    Second, we will restrict benefits to those with more severe mental health conditions – not anxiety or mild depression.

    Yes, these challenges are real, and people should get support.

    But they cannot be treated as a reason for a lifetime off work.

    And third, we will restrict Motability vehicles to people with serious disabilities.

    Those cars are not for people with ADHD.

    These are the first steps of a radical reform of our welfare system.

    We will return to its founding principle.

    That support only goes to those that really need it.

    This should be common sense.

    But only the Conservatives understand this.

    Labour, the Liberal Dems, Greens, the nationalists, and Reform are all demanding more welfare spending.

    They don’t care that it’s not fair, but we do.

    After Covid, 2,000 people a day were being signed onto out-of-work sickness benefits.

    It is a national tragedy.

    That in just one year of Labour the latest figure has more than doubled.

    5,000 new people are signing on every single day.

    Many are young people, who are losing the chance to make something of themselves.

    Never knowing what it’s like to pay their own way.

    This isn’t just about saving money – important though that is.

    It’s far more than that.

    It is driven by our deep, Conservative conviction that work is a good in itself.

    And as people work, as they strive, as they provide for themselves and their families, they should not pay more and more of their money in taxes, to a state that provides less and less.

    So, fixing the state is next in our Blueprint.

    Since Brexit and Covid the size of the Civil Service has swollen by over a third.

    There are now more than half a million civil servants.

    And have you noticed?

    Is Government working a third better for you?

    I don’t think so.

    So, we are going to reverse this.

    We are going to cut the civil service back to where it was in 2016.

    And as Conservatives, we don’t just believe in reducing the size of the state.

    I have always said, that while Government should do less, what it does, it should do well.

    Let me give you an example.

    Conservatives are proud of our police.

    Unlike Labour, we will always have their back.

    But security and prosperity cannot exist, in a country where the law is mocked, where crime is ignored, and where criminals laugh at justice.

    Right now, tens of thousands of police hours are wasted every year on “non-crime hate incidents” and form-filling.

    Officers chasing tweets instead of thieves.

    The Shadow Justice Secretary is stopping more fare evaders than Transport for London. Thank you, Rob.

    Conference, we are going to free the police to protect the public.

    Not to chase political correctness.

    Right now, our police are spending 800,000 hours every single year waiting with mental health patients.

    Eight hundred thousand hours.

    That’s the equivalent of 400 police officers doing nothing else all year except waiting around.

    No more.

    Every single officer we free from pointless paperwork.

    We will put back on our streets.

    We will send them after the shoplifters making life a misery for high streets.

    And we will triple stop and search.

    Because the more people we stop and the more people we search, the more knives we take off the streets.

    Across public services, we are developing similarly detailed plans to make things work better.

    In the NHS, industrial action has kept waiting lists high for far too long.

    Enough is enough. We will ban doctors from going on strike.

    In education, Labour have bent over to the teaching unions – and are removing our academy freedoms which have been so successful.

    We will reverse this act of educational vandalism.

    And we will make sure that brilliant schools and teachers have the freedom to do what they do best. Teach.

    Because education should be how people change their lives.

    It should help you develop the skills you need to get on in life.

    It should ensure you get the job you want.

    So, if your name’s Rachel, you can be an economist instead of working, in customer complaints.

    And speaking of customer complaints, let’s talk about university.

    Every year thousands of young people go off to University but leave with crippling loans and no real prospects.

    Nearly one in three graduates see no economic return, and every year taxpayers write off over £7 billion in unpaid student loans.

    Wasted money, wasted talent. Its every year.

    A rigged system propping up low-quality courses, while people can’t get high-quality apprenticeships that lead to real jobs.

    And this is personal for me.

    I did two degrees.

    One in engineering. One in law.

    And I also had an apprenticeship first.

    But while I can’t remember how to do parallel integration.

    I can remember how to fix a broken computer.

    Which I learnt to do during my apprenticeship.

    I was working with adults.

    I was paying my own way.

    And it gave an eighteen-year-old me a self confidence that my university degrees never did.

    And unlike my degrees, I wasn’t left with any debt.

    So, we will shut down these rip-off courses and use the money to double the apprenticeship budget.

    We will be giving thousands more young people the chance of a proper start in life.

    Just like I had.

    Which brings me Conference, to the most important task that we will face, and the centrepiece of our blueprint.

    The reason, why the Conservative Party is the only party in Britain who can be trusted to meet the test of our generation is that none of this works without a strong economy.

    Securing our borders.

    Getting people into work.

    Policing our streets.

    Defending the nation.

    None of it is possible without the money to pay for it.

    And we are the only party with a plan to get our economy back on track.

    It starts with fiscal responsibility.

    We have to get the deficit down.

    And we must also show how every tax cut or spending increase is paid for.

    So today, I am introducing a new Golden Economic Rule.

    Every pound we save, will be put to work.

    At least half will go towards cutting the deficit.

    Because living within our means is our first priority.

    And with the rest, we will get Britain growing and bring down the taxes stifling our economy.

    Over the next decade, Rachel Reeves is going to double the deficit with her borrowing and tax doom loop.

    She is stealing from our children and grandchildren.

    And Conservatives will put an end to it.

    We will always explain – up front – where we will make these savings.

    We’re not going to do what Labour did – promise not to cut public spending, only to snatch away pensioners’ winter fuel payments.

    We are doing things differently.

    Thanks to the hard work of the Shadow Cabinet, we have already identified £47 billion in savings

    Priti has earmarked £7 billion from the overseas aid budget.

    Alex has identified £8 billion from cutting the civil service

    Helen has found £23 billion from welfare.

    Under our Golden Rule – half of those savings will go towards reducing Labour’s deficit.

    With the rest, we are going to unleash our economy.

    That’s the Conservative way.

    Responsibility today. Opportunity tomorrow.

    Like so many young people, all of my first jobs were on the high street.

    Yes, in McDonalds, have I ever mentioned that?

    But it wasn’t just me, my friends were working in similar jobs.

    Cafés, local pubs, family run shops.

    The places that make our high streets what they are.

    The shops and businesses essential to communities in every town and village.

    And so, on Monday, you will have heard Mel, make our commitment to abolish their Business Rates.

    Whether you’re a councillor, a mayoral candidate, a campaigner, I want you to go out there and spread the word.

    That the Conservatives are bringing back the high street.

    Conference, energy is growth.

    It always has been, and it always will be.

    Countries with cheap energy grow faster.

    Countries with expensive energy decline.

    Right now, we pay four times what industry in the US does for electricity.

    The result.

    We are deindustrialising.

    It’s not just manufacturing that is disappearing.

    Not just steel, not just chemicals, not just ceramics, not just oil and gas.

    We are losing our farming industry.

    We are losing our fishing industry.

    These are the foundations of a strong economy, and they are going all because we chose a slogan of Net Zero over a serious strategy for a stronger economy and a better environment.

    So, I am saying, enough.

    I am reversing this.

    We will get rid of the Climate Change Act and replace it with a proper strategy that actually works.

    A strategy which protects the natural environment and landscapes we love.

    A strategy that takes sensible steps to tackle climate change, without bankrupting ourselves in the process.

    We will cut bills for families, slash costs for businesses, end the madness that you have to tear out your boiler, or disconnect your gas hob.

    We are going to bring industry and jobs back home.

    This is real action Conference, not slogans.

    Conference, I am not a climate change sceptic.

    But I am a Net Zero sceptic.

    Britain has already done more than any major country to cut emissions.

    But we cannot have a law which will make this country poorer, while creating jobs abroad and increasing our reliance on hostile states.

    So, we will axe the Carbon Tax on electricity.

    We will scrap Labour’s wind and solar levy.

    And instead, we will give you our Cheap Power Plan.

    Through this plan we will cut bills by £165 for the average family.

    Nearly £5,000 for the average restaurant.

    And over £1,100 for the average pub.

    Those are costs that are passed on to consumers.

    Conference I won’t promise you free beer, but I do want you all to have cheaper beer.

    Now it is time to put British prosperity first, give this country the cheap, reliable energy it needs to thrive again.

    Backing nuclear but also recognising that it is pure folly to ban new oil and gas extraction, while paying to import resources that Norway takes from the very same basin.

    So, when it comes to the North Sea, we have a very simple policy, drill our oil and gas now.

    Conference, you’d would have seen, you will have seen it, out there in the fringes all over Manchester, that this is a Party fizzing with ideas, building our policy programme, setting out our plans.

    A tax cut for our high streets, a helping hand for the young with our first-jobs bonus, reforms to welfare, 10,000 new police officers, tripling stop and search, scrapping the sentencing council, a new removals force, improving behaviour in schools, doubling apprenticeships, support for our veterans, £165 off your electricity bills, drilling in the North Sea, an end to the Energy Profits Levy, scrapping the Family Farm Tax, scrapping the Family Business Tax, scrapping VAT on School Fees, out of the ECHR, a plan for our borders, a plan for a stronger economy.

    And Conference.

    Because of all the savings we’ve found and costed.

    Because of the tough decisions on what the government shouldn’t do.

    Because of our golden economic rule.

    We can afford to make one more announcement.

    As the Conservative party, we know who our people are.

    They are people who work hard.

    They are the people who save hard.

    They are the people who understand the importance of putting down roots.

    They are the people who make sacrifices today for a better life tomorrow.

    They do the right thing.

    Our people are the Brits who want to get ahead in life.

    At the heart of a Conservative Britain is a country where people who wish to own their own home, can.

    I remember the joy, when I got the first set of keys, to my first flat.

    The excitement of opening my own front door for the very first time.

    The smell of the fresh paint. I remember it just like yesterday.

    I want everyone in our country to have that feeling.

    To know, it’s your place, your house, your home.

    We Conservatives believe that owning your own home gives you a real stake in society, roots in your community.

    But our housing market is not working as it should.

    Because there’s a big barrier that keeps getting in the way.

    That barrier, Conference, is the tax you have to pay when you buy your home.

    I haven’t even said what it is yet, but you all know.

    You all know that barrier is stamp duty.

    Young people trapped in the pain of renting.

    Workers who want to further their career.

    Pensioners who want to downsize but can’t afford the thousands of pounds they have to pay in tax.

    Conference, Stamp Duty is a bad tax. It is an unConservative tax.

    The last Conservative Government cut stamp duty for thousands of homebuyers.

    But now we must go further, we must free up our housing market.

    Because a society where no one can afford to buy, or move, is a society where social mobility is dead.

    So I have looked at the Stamp Duty thresholds to see if we can change them.

    I have looked at the rates you have to pay to see if we can lower them.

    I have decided we can’t.

    Because that simply wouldn’t be enough.

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

    I thought you’d like that one. Thank you.

    That is how we will help achieve the dream of home ownership for millions.

    Home ownership should be a dream that’s open to everyone.

    Abolishing stamp duty on your home is a key to unlock a fairer and more aspirational society.

    We cannot unpick every tax, the debt, the deficit and the damage this Labour government is creating means we cannot do everything all at once.

    Scrapping stamp duty will benefit people of all ages because Conservativism must speak to all generations.

    The young professional, buying their first flat.

    The couple looking for somewhere to bring up their first baby.

    The growing family hunting for their forever home.

    The pensioner who wants somewhere a little smaller, or maybe to move nearer the grandchildren.

    No longer will they be punished with a tax that is a barrier to doing the right thing for them, for their family, and for society.

    And this change will bring wider benefits to our economy, too, because every time a home is sold it triggers a chain reaction of activity.

    Movers, builders, decorators.

    Flat pack furniture and DIY.

    Trips to Next, John Lewis and IKEA.

    And I can afford to do this while still leaving space within my golden economic rule.

    Because that’s the fiscally prudent way to do things.

    That’s what Conservatives do.

    Conference, I want to see a better Britain, where people have a brighter and more prosperous future.

    The Labour Party fails when it follows its principles.

    We fail when we don’t follow ours.

    We are going to follow the same timeless, Conservative principles which have led us to success in the past.

    Personal responsibility.

    Free enterprise.

    Family.

    Freedom of speech.

    People want to know what I stand for; I stand for a government that takes less of your money and doesn’t interfere in your life.

    Where the state does less but does it better.

    Where those who create wealth are welcomed with open arms, not driven from our shores.

    Where reward matches effort.

    Where Britain stands tall in the world.

    I stand for an economy where profit is not a dirty word.

    Where enterprise is supported not crushed.

    I stand for a country where what you put in determines what you get out.

    Where excellence is celebrated.

    I stand for a country where actions have consequences.

    Where we talk about responsibilities as well as rights.

    Where crime is punished and justice is served.

    Where the welfare of victims outweighs the welfare of criminals.

    I stand for a society where free speech trumps hurt feelings.

    Where everyone knows what a woman is.

    Where people are judged by the content of their character not the colour of their skin.

    Where the vulnerable are supported.

    But where freeloaders are told where to get off.

    Conference, I stand for stronger borders and a stronger economy.

    So that the young can fulfil their potential, the old can live out their years in dignity, and everyone can achieve their dreams – to own a home, run a business, raise a family.

    This is the Britain I stand for.

    If it is the Britain, you stand for then stand with me.

    And let’s build it together.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : New Taser approved for UK police forces to protect public [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New Taser approved for UK police forces to protect public [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 October 2025.

    Police across England and Wales will be able to equip themselves with new and improved taser devices to help protect the public and themselves from dangerous criminals.   

    Axon’s Taser 10 model is more effective than previous devices, being able to fire at greater distances, with better handling and improved safety mechanisms to reduce the risk of injury to both members of the public and police officers. The device can fire up to 10 single probes and the officer can determine where each individual probe is fired, unlike previous devices.  

    The device also provides an auditory warning, if activated by the officer before firing, alerting the public and serving as a deterrent to offenders.  

    The device has been subject to rigorous scrutiny, independent testing and medical assessments, with trials carried out by the College of Policing to ensure that the device is fit for purpose and can be deployed safely, accurately and with confidence.   

    The introduction of the Taser 10 comes after the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and the College of Policing worked together to assess the new model. A joint implementation plan between NPCC and College of Policing has also been developed to ensure forces are supported with training, guidance, and operational readiness.  

    Policing Minister Sarah Jones said:  

    Police officers up and down the country are at their best when diffusing stressful, and often dangerous, situations, but their safety, and the safety of the communities they serve is paramount. 

    The new Taser 10 offers a safer option for officers who find themselves in those dangerous situations. 

    This new device, backed by robust testing, will help our police forces and properly trained officers tackle crime more effectively while maintaining public trust and accountability, which is crucial to our Plan for Change.

    Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi, national policing lead for less-lethal weapons, said:

    We are proud to operate a predominantly unarmed police service built on public consent, where officers resolve most incidents safely without force, and we continue to see a consistent decline in Taser discharges.  

    Taser provides vital support in high-risk, fast-moving situations. Officers who volunteer to carry Taser are highly trained, and in 92% of cases, its presence alone defuses danger swiftly and safely.  

    Accountability is paramount, and the new Taser 10 model enhances oversight and prioritises de-escalation, reinforcing our focus on public safety and trust.

    The device is now available for purchase by forces, and it will be for individual forces to train officers and authorise deployments with the Taser 10.

    Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said:     

    Taser 10 is an invaluable tool, and it is policing’s responsibility to make sure it is used wisely and effectively.     

    Our updated guidance was developed in consultation with experts and tested in real-world scenarios. The effective use of Taser 10 is about improving the safety of our police officers and fulfilling our duty to protect the public from harm, whilst using the minimum amount of force. It’s also about trust, as the public rightly expects police powers are used with care and accountability.     

    The College of Policing’s new guidance and training will ensure officers are not only prepared to the highest possible standards, but also that those standards are transparent. This will help build public trust and confidence and ensure officers are held to the high professional standards the service is proud to uphold. 

    Alex Lowe, UK and Ireland Regional Director at Axon, said:   

    We welcome the government’s approval of Taser 10 and its ongoing commitment to giving officers the tools they need to protect themselves and the public.  

    Taser 10 – supported by immersive VR (virtual reality) training – is a vital part of the technology toolkit alongside body-worn video and real-time digital evidence management that will help police deliver on the government’s Safer Streets mission.  

    Axon has been a proud partner to UK policing for over 20 years, and Taser 10 is just one example of the innovative, integrated solutions we provide. We look forward to deepening that partnership in the years ahead.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Somalia [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Somalia [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2025.

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Somalia. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Madame Vice President,

    Let me thank the Independent Expert. We are grateful for her work on Somalia since 2020. As we transition to a nationally led partnership with OHCHR, we recognise the invaluable work of the Independent Expert mandate since 1993 in documenting and reporting on the situation of human rights in Somalia and supporting the government.

    We welcome the presence of the Minister of Family and Human Rights Development and her team from Mogadishu.

    We welcome the passing of the Juvenile Justice Bill in March 2025, and the adoption by the Council of Ministers of the Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code Bill in January 2025.

    We remain concerned at the continuing loss of civilian life due to ongoing conflict and insecurity, continuing cases of sexual and gender-based violence, and restrictions on the freedom of expression, including detention of journalists.

    We encourage the Somali government to strengthen the rule of law and enhance fundamental freedoms by finalising the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission. We also emphasise the importance of promoting the rights to freedom of expression and opinion, protecting vulnerable and marginalised groups, and fostering a broad consensus, as Somalia prepares for timely, free and fair elections in the coming year. The UK stands ready to work with Somalia on all these issues.

    To the independent expert: what action can the UN and other international partners take to support the work of the National Human Rights Commission over the next year?

  • PRESS RELEASE : Martin Egan reappointed as Non-Executive Director [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Martin Egan reappointed as Non-Executive Director [October 2025]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2025.

    The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has reappointed Martin Egan as a Non-Executive Director of the UK Debt Management Office (DMO) Advisory Board.

    The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby KC MP, has reappointed Martin Egan as a Non-Executive Director of the UK Debt Management Office (DMO) Advisory Board.

    In this role Martin will continue supporting the DMO’s Chief Executive and senior team and bring considerable experience, skills and judgement to the full array of Advisory Board issues.

    Martin will serve a second three-year term.

    Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    “I am very pleased to confirm the reappointment of Martin Egan.

    “His extensive knowledge and experience will continue to support the Debt Management Office in delivering its objective to support economic stability by effectively managing government debt.” 

    Dame Sue Owen, Non-Executive Chair, DMO Advisory Board, said:

    “I fully support this reappointment. Martin brings the deep market knowledge and perspective that is so valuable to the Advisory Board and DMO executives.”

    Jessica Pulay, Chief Executive Officer, UK Debt Management Office, said:

    “I am delighted that Martin Egan will continue to serve on our Advisory Board as a Non-Executive Director.  Martin’s knowledge and experience has been of immense value to the DMO since he joined the Advisory Board and we look forward to his continuing contribution over the coming years.”

    About Martin Egan

    Martin Egan has 39 years of experience in financial markets. Most of his career was spent at BNP Paribas in various roles including Managing Director Global Co-Head Primary and Secondary Credit, Vice Chairman of the Global Markets Client Board, and Chair of BNPP UK Ltd. He was also Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Network at BNPP UK. Earlier in his career he held roles at JP Morgan Ltd., UBS Investment Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston.

    Martin was also the Chair of the Board of the International Capital Market Association from May 2017 to May 2018, and a member of the Board for another 5 years before that.

    Martin confirmed he has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    About the appointment process

    The DMO is an executive agency of HM Treasury which is responsible for debt and cash management for the UK Government, lending to local authorities and managing certain public sector funds.

    This reappointment was made by HM Treasury ministers, in line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with Independent Expert on Central African Republic [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with Independent Expert on Central African Republic [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2025.

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with Independent Expert on Central African Republic. Delivered at the 60th session of the HRC in Geneva.

    Thank you, Madame Vice President,

    We welcome the Central African Republic’s continued engagement with this Council and the Independent Expert’s scrutiny of the human rights situation. Ongoing implementation of national human rights policies remains vital to translate commitments into results.

    The UK welcomes the Central African Republic’s commitment to hold local, legislative and presidential elections in December. However, holding combined elections presents significant challenges. We urge the government to strengthen the National Electoral Authority to ensure the constitutional timelines for elections are met and encourage stakeholders to support the Authority in delivering free and fair elections.

    We are pleased the measures taken under the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation has led to an improvement in the human rights situation, but we remain deeply concerned by abuses committed by Russian proxies and armed groups. These groups do not improve security or stability. We urge the authorities to strengthen the implementation of the Agreement, and to support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) as it seeks to fulfil its mandate.

    Intercommunity tensions represent a serious threat to peace and human rights. We ask the independent expert, what can the international community do to support the Central African Republic in combatting these tensions?

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Haiti [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Haiti [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2025.

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Haiti. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Madam Vice President.

    We are grateful to the High Commissioner for his report.

    Criminal gangs continue to commit abuses, including killings, kidnappings and sexual violence. Over a million Haitians have been displaced, and access to essential services is severely restricted.

    Restoring security is essential to Haiti’s long-term stability. The UK supported the Multinational Security Support Mission by providing £5 million to the Office of the High Commissioner to ensure the Mission complies with international standards on human rights, conduct and discipline. We welcome the Office’s role in ensuring the Mission operates in line with the highest standards of human rights protection.

    We also welcome efforts at the UN Security Council to develop a coordinated and sustainable way forward for Haiti’s security and stability. Any future arrangements should seek to protect the rights and civil liberties of Haitians.

    Moreover, we will continue to act against perpetrators of human rights abuses in Haiti, including through our human rights sanctions regime.

    How can the international community ensure that future security arrangements in Haiti support a Haitian-led political process that protects rights and freedoms?

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Moldova’s Parliamentary Elections – UK statement to the OSCE [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Moldova’s Parliamentary Elections – UK statement to the OSCE [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2025.

    Ambassador Holland welcomes the preliminary conclusions of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission, and congratulates President Maia Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity on its decisive election victory.

    The United Kingdom notes the results of Moldova’s parliamentary elections on 28 September, and congratulates President Maia Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity on its decisive election victory.

    We look forward to further strengthening our partnership and friendship with the government and people of Moldova, and continuing our support to Moldova’s economic and democratic reforms as it works towards its European future.

    The UK welcomes the preliminary conclusions of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission that elections were competitive and offered voters a clear choice between genuine political alternatives. We are deeply concerned by the serious reported cases of foreign interference, illegal funding, cyber-attacks and widespread disinformation – as well as credible evidence of vote-buying schemes.

    As was the case during presidential elections in 2024, the information environment during the electoral campaign was weaponised by malign actors to sow division in society in an attempt to subvert Moldovan democracy. We, alongside partners, will redouble our efforts to aid Moldova’s ability to hold elections that both meet international standards and that are free of external interference in the future.  

    The United Kingdom fully supports the findings outlined in the ODIHR preliminary conclusions, and encourages the Moldovan government to engage constructively with international partners to address outstanding recommendations. We will continue to support Moldova’s efforts to stop interference from Russia undermining democracy in their country.

    Let me also take this opportunity to reiterate the UK’s strong support for ODIHR, and its vital work in observing elections across the OSCE region.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Charity Commission Statement on the Heaton Park Synagogue [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Charity Commission Statement on the Heaton Park Synagogue [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 2 October 2025.

    Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, said:

    Our thoughts are with those directly affected, and the wider Jewish community, after this abhorrent attack on a holy day. This attack is all the more abhorrent as it targeted people of faith and those serving in a charity simply for attending their place of worship. Violence and hatred have no place in our communities and society. Violence can never be justified and can never be excused.

    Charities are at the heart of communities across the country improving millions of lives daily. We as the regulator will robustly defend their right to do so and stand ready to support charities as they do what they do best – bring communities together, protect society’s most vulnerable and work to make our country and world a better place.

  • Helen Whately – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Helen Whately – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Helen Whately, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, in Manchester on 6 October 2025.

    Good afternoon, Conference.

    Craig is an extraordinary inspiration.

    I remember back in 2015, he turned up in an ancient Land Rover to campaign with me in a housing estate in Maidstone.

    Back then Craig had a no nonsense, pull your socks up attitude.

    He’s been through a lot since then, and he still has it.

    I asked Craig to kick off this session, not only because I knew he would do a great job, but because his attitude is what the whole country needs.

    Everyone goes through hard times.

    I am sure all of you have, one way or another.

    I bet you have always done your best to find your own way through.

    That’s the Conservative way.

    And it’s not just us. That is how most people think.

    But not everyone.

    We are here because we know we have a really important job to do – if not us, who?

    But millions of people right now, are sitting on the sofa at home.

    Millions have got themselves a sick note from the GP and signed onto sickness benefits with just a form and a phone call.

    Millions are getting benefits for anxiety and ADHD, along with a free Motability car.

    TikTok videos tell you how – and some people even pay for VIP services to boost their chances of a successful benefits claim.

    Yes, there are people with serious illnesses and disabilities,

    But one in four people now describe themselves as disabled, so what does the term even mean?

    We’ve got 10 million people of working age now claiming benefits

    1 million young people not in employment, education or training.

    Just when they should be getting going. Getting experience, and that feeling of having money in your pocket that you’ve earned yourself.

    I genuinely feel we’re at risk of a wasted generation.

    And our economy needs people – not just migrants imported to fill the gap.

    The right answer has to be: get British people into work.

    Last week I went to Teeside, and I visited a great British family business, Pickerings Lifts.

    They install lifts, all round the country, and they have a great apprenticeship scheme.

    There are 5,000 people unemployed there, in Stockton-on-Tees.

    And right on their doorstep is an estate which was in the infamous Benefits Street documentary.

    We were talking about the jobs situation, and the MD of Pickering said “Actually, we’ve got lots of vacancies, it’s really hard to get people to do these jobs – and stick at them”.

    And I’m sitting there thinking, what an earth. People tell me the problem is all the jobs now are in social care or the gig economy – or need skills people don’t have. But here you have exactly the sort of jobs people say they want, along with training, a decent salary, and good career prospects.

    So, what are people doing instead of working at Pickerings?

    The problem is, you can get 5,000 pounds more a year on sickness benefits than a minimum wage worker.

    So, no surprise that’s what many people are choosing.

    And it’s wrong. Our welfare system should be a safety net, not a lifestyle choice.

    Keir Starmer has said he wants to make welfare savings.

    Back in the summer he tried.

    But he failed so catastrophically, that instead of saving money, he ended up forking out 300 million pounds of your money to get his backbenchers to vote for his bill.

    That’s what a weak leader looks like, Keir cowering in fear from his left-wing backbenchers.

    In a few weeks’ time, Rachel Reeves will be putting up our taxes again.

    We will all be paying more because Labour MPs would rather hike your taxes than get a grip of their welfare system.

    So would the Lib Dems, the Greens, the SNP, Plaid and even Reform.

    All of them want the Government to spend billions more on welfare.

    £3.5 billion more, just to end the two-child benefit cap.

    Where will they find that money?

    And it’s not fair.

    People in work make tough decisions about whether they can afford to even start a family, and they don’t get paid more if they have an extra child.

    Believe me, I am all for encouraging people to have kids.

    But people on benefits should face the same decisions as the rest of us.

    It’s about taking responsibility for the choices you make.

    That’s the Conservative way.

    Labour doesn’t get it – and Nigel doesn’t either.

    We need a government with the courage to do what’s right, not just what sounds nice.

    That leaves us as the only party who can fix welfare.

    That’s why I’ve got my common sense plan for savings.

    Fix the ‘sick note’ system, bring back face-to-face assessments, end sickness benefits for low level mental health problems, stop the abuse of Motability, and put British citizens first in our benefits system – just living here is not a reason to get money from taxpayers.

    And that’s not all.

    We will change our sickness benefit system, so it helps those who really need help and stops turning people into victims.

    We will make the benefits cap do what it should, so that families on benefits aren’t better off than those in work.

    And we’ll tackle the massive hike in housing benefit.

    All that gives you billions of savings off the benefits bill.

    Savings that can help us balance the country’s books and money to help people into work.

    Because this isn’t just about savings, it’s about turning people’s lives around.

    And for us to succeed as a country, we need everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel.

    Conference, it’s time to return to the Conservative principles we know are the secret to our country’s success.

    Personal responsibility, aspiration, fairness, real compassion, living within our means.

    Labour have only one playbook. Handouts and higher taxes.

    Reform, in the words of their newest MP, will spend like drunken sailors.  

    The job of fixing welfare falls to us. All of us.

    I have a plan but there’s more to do.

    The hard yards, the hard thinking, the tough decisions to turn this country around.

    From stagnation to growth, from envy to aspiration, and from despondency to hope.

    Thank you, Conference.

  • Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Victoria Atkins, the Shadow Environment Secretary, in Manchester on 6 October 2025.

    Thank you, everyone, and welcome to the Conservative Party Conference.

    I extend a particular welcome to Oli and all the farmers here today.

    We have invited farmers from across the country to our conference to see for themselves that we care, we are listening, and we have their backs.

    You may have noticed that we are doing things a little differently this year.

    I am not up on the main stage.

    We are having a rally, in honour of the rallies that have happened across the country.

    Over the past 12 months, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer, the farmer harmer, have caused a nightmare for farming.

    Just a year ago, she stood up and announced the family farm tax and the family business tax.

    You have heard from Oli today about some of the problems this is already causing.

    Under Kemi’s leadership, we opposed that policy immediately because we knew it would stop business investment.

    It has done.

    It would cost people’s jobs.

    And It has done.

    It was snatching families’ futures away.

    We have marched with tens of thousands of farmers up and down Whitehall.

    We have climbed into their tractors.

    Two hundred and sixty-five thousand people have signed our petition to axe the tax.

    We have done everything we can in Parliament to hold this socialist government to account and try to get them to U-turn.

    We forced a vote.

    We gave Labour MPs the chance to vote this tax down.

    How many of them voted to axe this tax?

    Zero, a big fat zero.

    That is what we are dealing with.

    I love dragging Labour ministers to the despatch box.

    We do not have to put up with quite the same microphones in the chamber.

    When I see Labour MPs sent out by their whips to defend the indefensible, hiding behind their AI-generated speeches like some sort of trade union automaton, I know they know they are wrong.

    It is because of the pressure that farmers have kept up over the past 12 months, and us working together, that they are beginning to feel the pressure.

    We must keep it up.

    If Rachel Reeves tries a fudge at her budget in a desperate bid to save their rural seats, should this happen, be in no doubt: it is because of the campaigns of farmers across the country and the pressure we have put on them together.

    However, if she does try to fudge it, it is too late.

    The harm has already been done.

    Unlike Keir Starmer, we have been listening to the heart-wrenching stories of family farms and farmers across the country.

    The distress of families who simply do not know how they are going to pay these gigantic tax bills is palpable.

    I was speaking to Joss today, 18 years old, desperate to carry on his farm, yet at that age, he is already worrying about the tax bill when, God forbid, his parents die.

    That is not right.

    That is shameful.

    Cancer patients are genuinely refusing treatment now to avoid the deadline of next April because they know what it will cost their families if they live beyond that date.

    Just think of that for a moment.

    Then there are families already mourning the loss of loved ones who have taken the tragic step of taking their own lives to protect their farms and families from the clutches of Labour.

    This is happening, and Labour are ignoring it.

    These people’s lives and dreams have been shattered by this government.

    Farmers will not forget, and neither will we.

    It is shameful.

    It is enraging.

    It is an assault on the countryside.

    We will not stand for it, and we will not back down.

    I make this solemn promise to any farmers watching: we will axe the family farm tax and the family business tax when we are back in government, and we will keep fighting for you, because we know that a strong countryside makes a strong country.

    In our first year, my fabulous team of Conservative Shadow DEFRA Ministers, Robbie, Neil, Massey, David, Ashley, Jerome, and Afra, have started as we mean to go on.

    We have already dispatched one useless set of failing Labour ministers.

    Goodbye, City Steve.

    I shall almost miss him, but he has been reshuffled off to go and mess up housebuilding.

    Instead, City Steve has been replaced with the City Minister from the Treasury, who is imposing these taxes.

    You could not make it up.

    They have gone from City Steve to Urban Emma, the tax inspector.

    We know that these death taxes are not the only assaults on the countryside and the coast.

    Eighteen months ago, many in rural, agricultural, and fishing communities lent their vote and gave Labour a chance.

    My goodness, that Labour Party has completely let you down.

    Apart from raising inheritance tax, they are raising so many other taxes I have not got time to list them.

    They have cancelled SFI and other farm payments.

    They have sunk the UK fishing industry with their EU deal.

    They are ignoring food and water security, delaying biosecurity investment.

    They are making rural services even harder to deliver by getting rid of the rural services grant.

    They are bringing pubs and the hospitality sector to their knees, and much more.

    You have told us that it is getting harder to pay the bills, to grapple with the red tape, to keep your businesses going.

    This matters to us all, whether we live in the depths of the countryside or in the city.

    Funnily enough, we all eat food, and as we know, the cost of food is climbing due to Labour’s policies.

    Labour’s last budget is causing, in part, rising food prices, record farm closures, two pubs or restaurants closing a day, farms facing an SFI and custodianship scheme cliff edge, food producers facing a new tax this month, another one, on packaging, and 80 per cent of farmers fearing their farms will not survive.

    This is a food and farming emergency.

    If this emergency is not dealt with urgently, we will see even more farms, agribusinesses, food and drink manufacturers, and hospitality businesses close.

    We will see workers laid off, tenant farmers evicted, food production tumble, and food prices continue to rise.

    I hate to break it to you, but Labour is coming back for more in their budget.

    We need to act fast and act together.

    I am calling, before the budget, a food and farming emergency summit, where I shall bring farmers, food producers, and fishermen together to come up with the urgent solutions you need to address this emergency.

    I am going to do something different.

    Once we have those solutions, I shall put party politics to one side and offer them to the government at the budget.

    I am doing this because we, as Conservatives, caring deeply about the countryside and our country, will always put our national interest first.

    This will be a test for Labour.

    If they ignore those policies, if they shun them, they will show that they are not to be trusted.

    I put this challenge to the Labour government: you have not listened to the countryside so far.

    Will you listen to us this time?

    This is your countryside, your future, and we have your backs.

    Responding to this Labour-inflicted emergency is only part of my plans for the future.

    We are doing a lot of longer-term thinking for the years ahead and beyond the general election.

    Just like farming, we need to plan in opposition.

    Since the general election, I have been frank: we got some things right in government, and we got some things wrong.

    We did a lot of good in farming and environmental policy, about which we can rightly be proud.

    However, we lost our focus for a while on the primary purpose of farming: to grow food.

    That changes now.

    Food production and food security will be at the heart of Conservative agricultural and environmental policy.

    We will start with DEFRA’s regulations and regulators.

    Did you know DEFRA has one of the highest numbers of quangos in the whole of government?

    However well-intentioned, this system of 34 quangos that regulate our land, our water, and our food, led by Natural England, is outdated and now seems to work against rural communities, not for them.

    It is a system built on the best of intentions, but it has morphed into a labyrinth of bureaucracy.

    A farmer told me last week that it feels as though the system of Natural England and the Environment Agency is there to trip you up, not help you.

    Labour wants to make it even worse, because they are pushing through Parliament at this moment greater powers for Natural England.

    They are giving them draconian compulsory purchase order powers to enable Natural England, an arm of the state, to seize private land from us and not pay market value for it.

    You heard that right: they want an arm of the state to seize land from us.

    Agricultural land and gardens are in the frame if Natural England judges it to be in accordance with their plans.

    If that is not modern-day Marxism, I do not know what is.

    This is what we are up against.

    We must stop these powers.

    When we are in government, we will review the regulations and regulators to ensure that we can get cracking, fixing the regulators and the regulations.

    Some will say that to speak in these terms, to question the current system, is to be against nature, that to protect our rural communities and the environment is a binary choice, and the only answer is to maintain the status quo.

    Such arguments ignore the reality of flooded communities, stifled rural economies, and villages desperate to attract young people and families.

    They ignore the fact that the status quo is not working as we would wish for nature recovery either.

    If we want to recover nature, we will need to reform our current approach.

    We are going to work out a system that is fair to rural communities, fair to the environment, and works for us all, for the greater good of our countryside and coast.

    This also means looking after rural and coastal economies.

    I know from my beautiful constituency of Louth and Horncastle in Lincolnshire, and I am pleased we have some yellow bellies in the audience, that it is, I shall annoy other MPs by saying, clearly the best constituency in the country.

    It is an incredibly rural constituency but also has wonderful miles of coastline.

    I know, from my own constituency, from friends and neighbours there, that if local areas prosper, that is for the benefit of the whole of society.

    What we are worried about in rural areas is the threat of stifling rural economies and a youth drain away from our countryside.

    We do not want that.

    You do not want that.

    Part of the work we are going to do is to ensure that we bring the rural economy back to life.

    I say this very conscious that I am standing in front of, perhaps, the shiniest tractor we have ever seen, a magnificent JCB tractor.

    JCB is the epitome of a rural family business.

    It was started in the market town of Uttoxeter.

    It now employs 8,500 people in the UK alone and is an international brand, known all over the world and sold in 150 countries.

    We are so lucky this year that they have driven their tractor into our conference because they are celebrating their 80th anniversary.

    What an amazing achievement.

    What a great rural business.

    The rural economy accounts for some 3.8 million jobs and 500,000 businesses, and then, of course, even more in the coastal economy.

    The Shadow Chancellor, as we heard this morning, is confronting some of the hard truths of the inheritance that we will have from this dreadful socialist government.

    Mel and I, I promise you, will be working together in the coming months to draw up plans for a truly revitalised and exciting rural economy and coastal economy offer.

    Please, feed in your ideas because we want you as our members to be a part of this.

    We want to ensure that with all of this, our values are at the heart of what we do.

    I am going to finish where I started, with the family farm and the family business tax.

    The reason we were able to oppose this immediately is precisely because of our values.

    We have that love of family, that belief in community and citizenship, that trust in personal freedom and responsibility.

    We have fidelity to the rule of law.

    We believe that we should be passing on a better country than that which we inherited, whilst respecting what has gone before.

    We, as Conservatives, believe in the very conservation of Great Britain, and these values will inform our policies and the values of rural and coastal communities.

    You might not think this matters, as I say, if you live in the city, but of course it matters because this is the fabric of our country.

    We want to ensure that we are not only doing the hard work now in opposition to create the policies of the future but doing so with those values at the very core of everything we want to achieve for Great Britain in the future.

    We, as Conservatives, will not let this socialist government destroy our countryside and our communities.

    We, as Conservatives, believe in the countryside and rural Britain and coastal Britain.

    Join us to axe the family farm tax, to fix the regulators, to save British farming, and to help make our countryside a stronger countryside for a stronger country.