A surge in support for Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, threatens to overshadow Kemi Badenoch’s tax-cutting closing speech at the Conservative Party conference, reports BritPanorama. Support for the Tories has dropped one point this week to 21 per cent, while Reform UK has risen three points to 24 per cent, according to new polling by More in Common.
Meanwhile, Labour, led by Andy Burnham, continues to dominate polling with a two-point increase to 29 per cent—five points ahead of Reform UK. These shifting dynamics place considerable pressure on Badenoch as she prepares to address her party.
In her speech, Badenoch is expected to declare a pivotal “battle for the soul of the nation” and will announce plans to cut the 40 per cent rate of inheritance tax. She has indicated that the UK faces a potential economic downturn without an increase in growth, attributing the blame to the previous government for creating a “tax doom loop.”
Badenoch is keen to rejuvenate the party’s electoral prospects, which currently trail both Labour and Reform UK. She stated earlier this week that she would prefer to contest two elections in quick succession rather than enter a coalition with Farage’s party should the next election result in a hung parliament.
The Tories’ vulnerabilities have been highlighted by polling suggesting that public confidence remains low despite recent tax promises aimed at protecting the UK economy. Badenoch will attempt to counteract this perception and assert her leadership vision during her keynote address.
The Conservative Party conference has become a critical battleground amidst a climate of public dissatisfaction, with Badenoch’s message seeking to inspire confidence in her party’s future direction against an evolving political backdrop.
