The UK Conservative Party’s annual conference, meant to be a rallying point for unity and a vision for the future, has instead become a chaotic battlefield for leadership ambitions. Rishi Sunak’s plea to “end the squabbling” that plagued his premiership appears to have fallen on deaf ears, Bloomberg reports.
The first day saw the leading contenders, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, engage in a bitter war of words, shattering any hopes for a unified message. Badenoch, known for her outspoken views, ignited the first firestorm with controversial comments about culture and maternity pay. Her op-ed in the Sunday Telegraph suggesting that “not all cultures are equally valid” and her claim that statutory maternity pay is “excessive” sparked a backlash, forcing her to clarify her position on maternity pay.
Jenrick, a staunch immigration hawk who sees his tough stance as a key selling point with grassroots Tories, seized the opportunity to publicly disagree with Badenoch, fueling tensions with hostile briefings traded between their teams. The other two candidates, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat, also distanced themselves from Badenoch’s remarks.
Badenoch countered by accusing Jenrick of misrepresenting her stance on immigration, claiming he wasn’t “reading or listening” to her arguments. The escalating clash exposed deep divisions within the party, raising concerns about its ability to present a unified front to voters.
The conference, initially designed to showcase the candidates’ visions and policies, has become a stage for personal attacks and internal battles. Despite the introduction of a “yellow card” system to discourage negativity, the cracks in the party’s facade are widening.
The bookmakers favor Jenrick, but Badenoch is seen as a strong contender in a potential runoff, with her divisive nature raising concerns among some Tory MPs. The contest has stressed the party’s struggle to find a cohesive direction amidst internal conflicts.
The Tories, reduced to a mere 121 MPs, find themselves squeezed between Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party on the right and the combined forces of the Liberal Democrats and Labour on the left.
