Kemi Badenoch has issued a rallying cry to party faithful, insisting the Conservative Party should not be written off as it faces a challenging path back to political prominence. Speaking at the Welsh Conservative Conference in Llangollen, the Tory leader acknowledged the scale of the task ahead but affirmed her belief that Conservative values remain relevant and necessary for Britain’s future.
Addressing members and supporters, Mrs Badenoch said: “Conservative values still matter. Our country still needs us. But the path back will take time. There will be setbacks, but I am here to remind you that Conservatism is worth fighting for.”
Her remarks come amid a tough political climate for the party in Wales, with a recent YouGov poll placing the Welsh Conservatives in fourth place with just 13% of the vote—trailing behind Labour, Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK. Nonetheless, Mrs Badenoch delivered a defiant message, challenging the narrative that the party’s influence has waned permanently.
“People want to write us off,” she declared. “They want to say that we are out of the game because they forget that we are a party based on values. What we stand for must never, ever be lost.”
“We stand for patriotism, for hard work, for responsibility, for freedom. That is worth fighting for.”
Mrs Badenoch, who was introduced by Welsh Tory leader Darren Millar with a bold comparison to Margaret Thatcher, received a warm reception from members. Mr Millar remarked that the “refrain on everybody’s lips” was for another Thatcher and proudly added, “I’m pleased to say that we’ve got one.”
The Welsh Conservatives are gearing up for next year’s crucial Senedd elections, the first to take place under a new proportional representation system. While the new structure could offer opportunities for smaller parties, the Conservatives are aware that it also presents challenges in terms of gaining seats.
In response, Mr Millar has pledged that the Welsh Tories will present the “boldest” manifesto of all parties. Their proposed policies include reintroducing a Welsh winter fuel payment to counteract the UK Government’s decision to means test the benefit, a cut to the basic rate of income tax by 1p, and a freeze on building new cycle lanes until roads are “fixed.”
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The party also plans to reverse the controversial expansion of the Senedd, which is scheduled to increase its membership from 60 to 96 following the next election. All paused road infrastructure projects will be resumed under a Conservative government, according to Mr Millar, signalling a shift in priorities.
However, Mrs Badenoch’s speech did include a slight stumble when she mistakenly referred to MSPs—Members of the Scottish Parliament—while addressing a room full of MSs, or Members of the Senedd. The slip did little to dampen the enthusiasm of attendees, who appeared buoyed by her call to arms.
“The responsibility is on me,” Badenoch told delegates. “Let us lift our heads. Let us get back to work. Let’s prove to people that [power] doesn’t belong to Labour or to Reform—it belongs to us, if we have the courage to fight.”
With under a year to go before the Senedd election, the conference at Llangollen represents one of the final opportunities for the Welsh Conservatives to regroup and reenergise their base. While the political headwinds are stiff, Badenoch’s message was clear: the Conservatives still have fight left in them—and she intends to lead from the front.
