Dispatch from Birmingham: In Search of the Right Way 

Sedef Akademir, Associate Diretor
08/10/2026

Having succeeded in rallying the base, and buoyed by climbing polling ratings, Kemi Badenoch set a path for renewal for her party at this year's conference. The snapshot from Birmingham is of a Conservative Party far more united about who it is and what it wants to say.

Where last year's conference was spent justifying the party's survival, this year's was spent making the case for what it would do with power and forging its distinct identity. With the publication of The Right Way, Badenoch sought to set out her principles and the party's position on the economy and the role of the state, instead of offering a “shopping list of policies”. The shadow cabinet and backbenchers now appear squarely united behind her, a marked change from twelve months ago. With questions about leadership now uncontested, the party was free to spend the week debating ideas rather than personalities.

Significantly, Badenoch drew a clear dividing line with Reform UK as well as Labour. In a combative speech, she ruled out any uniting of the right and called out rhetoric from some Reform MPs on identity and Englishness. Throughout the conference, the party showed a clear direction in positioning itself as a distinct alternative, not an accommodation.

High Spirits

The atmosphere was noticeably more upbeat than last year, even if the conference remains smaller than in years gone by. The Hyatt bar filled up as the week went on, and fringe events were largely well attended and demonstrated a plurality of stances within the party. The giant Birmingham Bayeux Tapestry was a crowd-pleaser with members and journalists alike, and a talking point of the conference. For members, the week left a sense of momentum that has been absent for some time. However, the key test is whether this energy can be converted into appeal among voters who were put off by the Conservatives' record in government, and who will take more persuading than the faithful in the hall.

Key Policies

The party is still shaping much of its platform, but the Conservatives were at pains to emphasise that they are the party of law and order, the economy and national security.

The headline policy, scrapping inheritance tax on family homes, went down well in the conference hall with an audience standing ovation.

On national security, a dedicated defence day opened with a poignant performance from a Ukrainian children's choir, while a full-sized Iranian Shahed drone loomed above delegates. The party unveiled plans for a £10 billion Britannia Shield air and missile defence system, inspired by Israel's Iron Dome. It gives the Conservatives a clear point of contrast with Labour on defence, though questions on funding and delivery timelines will follow.

On growth and energy, the party's argument is that Britain's economic problems are partly self-inflicted, with slow planning and regulation holding back housebuilding, infrastructure and investment. The energy proposals, new North Sea drilling alongside small modular nuclear reactors, are pitched as a route to sovereign energy security,

Badenoch's pledge to halve employer National Insurance Contributions for under-25s was particularly welcomed by businesses, speaking directly to employers' concerns about the cost of hiring young people.

What next?

The Conservatives will need to keep up momentum, with the threat on the right from Reform far from gone. British politics remains as fractured as ever, and winning over voters beyond the party faithful will be the real job for the Tories in the months ahead. A part of this will be attracting the right talent and building a strong field of candidates who can appeal to the wider public in the elections to come. Ultimately, the party's recovery will hinge on rebuilding trust with the voters who left it, and that is a case still to be made.

For businesses, the time to engage is now. With many policies still to be fixed, the party's thinking is more open to evidence and practical input than it will be once commitments are set. Organisations that come forward early, with a clear view of what their sector needs and how it fits the party's priorities on growth, housebuilding, energy and defence, are best placed to help shape the final offer.