Who was the winner from today’s Tory leadership speeches? The final day of the party conference saw all four candidates take to the stage in a bid to have a David Cameron moment. Back in 2005, Cameron managed to gain momentum at the party conference with an assured speech (no notes) and get one over on his main rival – the then frontrunner – David Davis. So, has anyone managed a similar feat in Birmingham?
It was Tom Tugendhat who was up first to speak. The leadership hopeful – viewed to be on the left of the party – spoke about restoring trust and the path back to power. He talked about the NHS, national security and growing the economy. However, it was the candidate who followed him who managed to grab the audience’s attention. Step forward James Cleverly. The former foreign secretary began with an apology, saying his party needs to say sorry to the public in order to get a hearing. He went on to tell a personal story about his parents and his family now, talking about his wife’s battle with cancer.
What Cleverly did well was to make the audience laugh and give a speech that was at times surprising. He said that the Tories needed to be ‘more normal’ before going on to talk about Reagan. Unfortunately for Tugendhat, Cleverly going straight after him meant he stole his thunder. It puts Cleverly in a good position ahead of the knockout rounds next week. The general thinking is that Tugendhat or Cleverly will be knocked out in the first round on Tuesday. Then the survivor could have a path to the final two if they can sweep up the fallen candidate’s backers over night.
What about Kemi Badenoch? The one-time frontrunner has had the bumpiest conference of the lot after getting embroiled in a row over maternity pay. Badenoch has since sought to clarify her comments (stating she supports maternity pay at current levels) but the episode has dented morale amongst some of her supporters. In her speech today, Badenoch steadied the ship and gave a clear explanation of her worldview and politics.
She pitched herself as the candidate ready to take the fight to Labour – and as one of the deeper thinkers in the contest. It will have calmed some nerves in her team, yet her path to the final two is far from assured. For Badenoch, the conference may still feel like a missed opportunity – there had been a hope that she could use it to show that she was clearly the membership’s preferred candidate. She leaves with uncertainty over whether MPs will give the membership that choice.
Finally, Robert Jenrick. He arrived as the frontrunner and leaves as the frontrunner. In his speech (which like James Cleverly’s speech was well over the 20-minute time limit), Jenrick pitched himself to the right. He offered red meat (cutting foreign aid and leaving the ECHR) and he attempted to invoke Margaret Thatcher while saying he would lead the ‘new conservatives’. However, his speech has been criticised by some MPs, with Jesse Norman (a Badenoch backer) calling it ‘simplistic tripe’. It also didn’t provide a stand out moment.
It means conference ends with the race still wide open. As one senior Tory puts it: ‘James had the most rizz [slang for charm]. Kemi was the most conservative’. Another adds: ‘It is still Robert’s to lose.’ It’s conceivable that Badenoch, Jenrick or Cleverly could win the contest. After four days of party conference, the run off between the final two looks likely to be more competitive than previously expected.
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