Politics latest: Kemi Badenoch pledges to abolish stamp duty on all home sales in Tory conference speech

Kemi Badenoch’s address brought to a close a conference that had been overshadowed by questions about her leadership and the threat from Reform UK.

The day before her speech, Nigel Farage’s party announced 20 councillors had defected from the Tories, while a poll published by More in Common on Wednesday showed the Conservatives continue to languish in third place.

But the major defection that some in the party feared would take place on Wednesday morning did not come, while Mrs Badenoch attacked her opponents, vowing to reverse Labour policies and accusing Sir Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn and Sir Ed Davey of “shaking the same magic money tree”.

Although she dismissed Reform as promising “free beer tomorrow”, Mrs Badenoch reserved most of her attacks for Labour, pledging to reverse a swathe of policies introduced by the new Government.

These included abolishing VAT on private schools, reversing changes to inheritance tax for farms and scrapping the carbon tax.

In response to Kemi Badenoch’s speech at the Conservative Party conference, the Labour Party accused them of “peddling the same fantasy economics”.

They said on social media: “The Conservatives haven’t learnt anything from the economy-crashing days of Liz Truss.

“They should be apologising, not peddling the same fantasy economics. The Tories simply can’t be trusted.”

In response to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch making very few references to Nigel Farage’s rival right-wing party, shadow justice minister Robert Jenrick said: “We’re not obsessed by Reform.”

It is in sharp contrast with Sir Keir Starmer last week, who referenced Reform UK on several occasions during his Labour party speech.

In her few remarks, Badenoch accused Nigel Farage of “following the same failed playbook” on economy with “no honesty” about challenges ahead.

In another dig at Reform;s leader, she quotes George Bernard Shaw: “Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes it”.

Kemi Badenoch has accused the government of choosing a “slogan of net zero over a serious strategy of a stronger economy”.

Promising to reverse the drive to reach net zero and scrap the climate change act, she said the Tories would replace it with a “proper strategy that actually works”.

“A strategy that protects the natural environment and the landscapes we love. A strategy that takes sensible steps to tackle climate change without bankrupting ourselves in the process. We will cut bills for families, slash costs for businesses”, she said.

While she denied she is a “climate change sceptic”, she said she is a “net zero sceptic”, adding: “Britain has already done more than any major country to cut emissions. But we cannot have a law which will make this country poorer, while creating jobs abroad and increasing our reliance on hostile states.

“So we will axe the carbon tax on electricity, we will scrap Labour’s wind and solar levy and instead we will give you our cheap power plan.”

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell says:

Kemi Badenoch is enjoying the longest standing ovation of her speech yet after calling on Conservatives to stand with her in the fight to build a better Britain.

If there was before her speech, there is now little doubt she has the backing of her members and MPs to go on as leader – especially after her pledge to cut stamp duty.

She was facing major questions about the party’s directions under her leadership. But few will come away from the conference in Manchester feeling like they have not been answered.

Kmi Badenoch has promised to abolish stamp duty in order to make the “dream of home ownership open to all” and “unlock a fairer and more aspirational society”.

“The next Conservative government will abolish stamp duty on your home. It will be gone”, she said. “That is how we will help achieve the dream of home ownership for millions. Home ownership should be a dream thats open to everyone. Abolishing stamp duty on your home is a key to unlock a fairer and more aspirational society. We cannot unpick every tax.”

She added: “Scrapping stamp duty will benefit people of all ages because conservatism must speak to all generations. The young professional buying their first flat. The couple looking for somewhere to bring up their first baby. The growing family, hunting for their forever home. The pensioner who wants somewhere a little smaller or maybe to move nearer to the grandchildren.

“No longer will they be punished with a tax that is a barrier to doing the right thing for them, their family and for society.”

Our political editor David Maddox says:

Home ownership is the most Conservative of dreams so Kemi Badenoch’s announcement to abolish stamp duty is exactly what was needed to unite her party behind her.

She needed something big and this has been a speech laden with new policies but getting rid of one of the most hated taxes will be a challenge to Labour and also Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

We were told we would need to wait two years for policies but Ms Badenoch in the end under pressure has delivered in less than a year.

Kemi Badenoch has pledged to axe stamp duty if she is elected as the country’s next leader.

“We must free up our housing market because a society where no one can afford to buy or move is a society where social mobility is dead”, Ms Badenoch says.

Stating that home ownership should be a “dream for everyone”, she said: “At the heart of a Conservative Britain is a country where people who wish to own their first home, can. But our housing market is not working as it should.”

The money for this policy will be found from the cuts previously announced in her speech

Motability cars are “not for people with ADHD”, Kemi Badenoch said as she told her party’s conference the Tories would restrict eligibility for them.

“We will restrict motability vehicles to people with serious disabilities. Those cars are not for people with ADHD,” she said.

She also criticised time “wasted” by police on non-crime hate incidents.

“Conference, we are going to free the police to protect the public, not to chase political correctness,” she said.