Kemi Badenoch Launches Tory Leadership Campaign

Kemi Badenoch has officially launched her campaign for Tory leadership, positioning herself as a change candidate with a focus on renewal, while criticizing Labour as 'clueless, irresponsible and dishonest'. She argues that the Conservatives must prepare to regain power when Labour 'fails', claiming the public is yearning for better governance. Badenoch's rival, James Cleverly, emphasizes the need for 'Conservative solutions' and a smaller state, advocating for the abolition of stamp duty to aid housing access. The leadership race will see MPs voting on Wednesday to eliminate the weakest candidates, with six contenders currently in the running. Badenoch also highlighted Labour's alleged financial mismanagement, including cuts to pensioner benefits amidst rising public sector pay. The contest is seen as a critical moment for the Conservative Party, which is under scrutiny for internal divisions while Labour pushes forward with new policies.