Dr Azeem Ibrahim
Guest Reporter
Starmer has sent the country downhill faster than any of us could have feared. That he could so quickly have betrayed his promises on immigration is one thing many of us saw a mile off.
This week he will become the first PM in memory to comprehensively break his economic manifesto pledges in his very first budget, after his brilliant strategy of giving the unions everything they wanted followed through to its predictably expensive conclusion.
But he’s also failed in areas no voter could see coming.
Nobody could imagine, in July, that they were electing a government that would be handing over priceless strategic assets to Chinese allies, blundering into talks on slavery reparations or driving nine thousand millionaires and billionaires to flee their new tax regime.
The country hasn’t faced jealous and vindictive government of this stripe since the 1970s. For many of us, it is the first time in our voting lives that the stakes are so high to elect a strong and capable election winner.
We need a leader who embodies unity, communicates boldly, calmly and argumentatively, and represents the values that resonate across the party and with the British public.
Badenoch has political courage –to do and say those things that these days attract the ire of the left and the media – but which are necessary if Conservative principles are to be heard in the public square.
She combines this with an authenticity and an intellectual depth that will make her outmatch Starmer both in the Commons and in public debates. Starmer stumbles and trips over his own words and promises. He has fallen faster than any leader in recent political history – without there really being a Conservative leader to oppose him.
Badenoch speaks with coolness and a reassuring confidence. Her record in debates and interviews shows she has a very low tolerance for the wishy-washy doublespeak soundbites which form almost the entirety of Starmer’s political offering. Her authenticity and debating skill puts her out of Starmer’s reach – but there is still the question of Nigel Farage.
How the Tories should confront the threat of Reform will depend on the happenstance of politics over the coming years. But a leader like Badenoch dramatically reduces the appeal of Farage, and after five years of Starmer’s Labour, voters will not be minded to split the vote, especially after seeing the work of her shadow cabinet.
Badenoch’s track record reflects her effectiveness and resilience. As Minister for Women and Equalities, she successfully reframed the conversation around equality, emphasizing meritocracy and accountability in place of divisive identity politics.
Her speeches are satisfying and necessary – speaking common sense to woke groupthink. In her role as Business and Trade Secretary, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing bureaucratic barriers and encouraging investment and growth, addressing the chronic anti-growth bias in the civil service and the quangos.
She has made the right diagnosis of the country’s biggest problems, and is more than capable of selling the conservative solution to voters.
Recent Conservative leaders have often faced internal dissent, with their efforts undermined by plots and hostile briefings. Badenoch offers a real chance to break this cycle.
LATEST OPINION FROM MEMBERSHIP
- Don't be fooled - Keir Starmer is 'Left of Left' and he'll transform UK into a sclerotic Soviet Union - Alex Story
- 'Most reasonable people will see any capital gains tax and inheritance tax changes as fair next week'
- Paying reparations for the slave trade is nonsense - Britain should be proud of its role in banning it - Ben Habib
As an affable and respectable colleague who has risen fast, her leadership would allow the party to rally around a coherent message without factional distractions. Her integrity, paired with a practical approach, gives her a credibility that has earned her broad support within the party.
She represents a unifying force, not only because of her stance on key issues but also because of her ability to connect with a range of voices, from grassroots activists to senior MPs and influential business leaders.
Her supporters and endorsement are not confined to one wing of the party; she commands respect across a wide spectrum. This breadth of support indicates that she could rally the party effectively, pulling together members and supporters to occupy that ground on the right of politics with a broad church of support.
With her at the helm, the Conservatives will present a united front against Starmer’s Labour, projecting confidence and cohesion.
At a time when the voters will be learning again the folly of trusting Labour with their families’ wellbeing, they’ll be looking to a straight-talking, pro-business and low-tax conservative party for the answer. With Kemi, we will have it.
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