UK politics live: Tugendhat kicks off Tory leadership speeches after backlash against Badenoch and Jenrick
Tugendhat, Cleverly, Badenoch and Jenrick deliver last pitch to become new Conservative party leader
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
The four Conservative leadership candidates are delivering their final speeches at the party’s conference in their race to be Rishi Sunak’s successor.
Optimism, the party’s future and the economy will be among the topics touched on when Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly address delegates in Birmingham.
As the four leadership candidates prepare for their final chance to address the party’s conference, relations between some of the rivals have been strained despite the “yellow card” rule to stop personal attacks.
Kemi Badenoch sparked widespread criticism after joking that 50,000 civil servants were so bad at their jobs they should be jailed.
During a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference, the Tory leadership contender accused staff of undermining their ministers and leaking official secrets.
Tom Tugendhat slammed Robert Jenrick for using footage of a soldier he served with him in Afghanistan and subsequently died, in a widely criticised campaign video.
The shadow security secretary said Mr Jenrick’s claim that UK special forces are “killing rather than capturing terrorists” are “just not true”.
The Independent’s political team will be reporting live throughout the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
Watch: Tory leadership hopefuls Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat address party conference
Tom Tugendhat says he does not accept the term ‘climate emergency’ in attack on Labour policies
Tory Party conference: John Rentoul answers your questions – from the next leader to winning back voters
The UK is in desperate need of an effective opposition
Jonathan Gullis complains he can’t get a job as a teacher because he’s a Tory
Tugendhat has had enough...so has the audience
The applause for Tugendhat has been gradually getting more muted and polite as he went through his speech, David Maddox writes from the conference.
So there were chuckles when near the end he said” I know you’ve had enough and so have I.”
Fortunately, he wound up quickly afterwards with a pleasingly loud applause and cheer.
‘I’m here to lead, not to manage’
Tory leadership hopeful has told party members that he is a leader not a manager.
Tom Tugendhat said: “I get it, you’ve had enough. And so have I. But in this leadership election you have a choice. And it’s a choice about change.
“My opponents claim that they’ve got more management experience around the Cabinet table. Sure, that’s true. But I’m not here to manage, I’m here to lead.
“The only way to build trust back is to show real change. And that’s the new conservative revolution that I promise. That’s the change only I can deliver. That’s the change only I will bring.”
Ending his speech, he said: “Our mission is the prosperity and happiness of the British people - and we start today.”
Tugendhat: Socialism delivers decline
Tom Tugendhat has used his final speech to attack Labour and socialism as a whole.
In his final speech, he said: “We are building on the strong foundations of the past and I’m standing because I believe in Britain.
“I have fought for Britain and I have had enough of those who want to manage decline. That’s what socialism delivers.
“It’s not who I am, it’s not who you are and nothing is more fatal to a mission than losing faith in the future. Nothing is more fatal to success than setting our ambition so low that we don’t even try. And nothing is more fatal to a nation than giving up on our belief in it.
“That’s why we must win. Not in 10 years, not in 15, but in five. We can’t afford Labour, the country can’t afford socialism, we can’t afford to wait. And I will not wait. It’s time to seize the moment and turn this around.”
Pictured: Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick arrives
Tugendhat to set 100,000 migration cap
Now, moving on migration, Tom Tugendhat has suggested that he will set a 1000,00 migration cap if he becomes the new face of the opposition.
He said: “We must solve as well as stop, which is why I’ll set a legal cap on migration of 100,000, not a target, not an ambition, but a cap.
“This is about visas, not about foreign courts. Let me tell you something my opponents probably won’t.
“This isn’t simple. We issued the visas because businesses need the staff for our care homes and our hospitals, to look after our families.”
Tom Tugendhat blames bureaucrats for NHS failings warning it is 'not the envy of the world'
Tom Tugendhat has blamed bureaucrats for failings in the NHS, warning the health service is “not the envy of the world”.
Saying Britain needs to be honest about the state of the NHS, he told the Tory party conference that health services in Australia and Europe have “better cancer outcomes and access to doctors”.
“For our families to stay fit... we need the best healthcare”, the former security minister said.
He added: “Let’s be honest, our health service is not the envy of the world. Our doctors and our nurses are fantastic but the bureaucrats in charge slowed down their ability to deliver.
“We need to strip away excess regulations and barriers and put the patient at the centre of care.”
Tugendhat calls for Thatcher-style revolution
During his final conference speech, Tom Tugendhat said: “Real growth, not the illusion of growth that has been boosted by migration, has barely shifted in the past 30 years. Now that’s left us poorer and more vulnerable. We need to free the economy.
“We need a new conservative revolution. That’s what Margaret Thatcher did, that’s what we need to do again and we can do it.”
The shadow security secretary has hailed the work of current and former Tory metro mayors Lord Houchen and Andy Street.
He added: “They focused on delivery not ideology, they understand that Britain needs leaders who just get it done because Conservative leadership changes lives.”
Labour is ‘taking us back to the 1970s’, Tugendhat says
Labour is taking Britain back to the 1970s, Tom Tugendhat has claimed, arguing the government is “trashing hopes and dreams”, Millie Cooke reports from the conference.
Referencing the freebies row which has engulfed the Labour Party in recent weeks, the Tory leadership contender said: “When Keir Starmer thinks of service he thinks of free tickets to Taylor Swift. Now friends, that tells you everything you need to know.”
“Labour have told us who they are. They’re rudderless, selfish and greedy, they’re taking us back to the 1970s and the politics of division - socialism, higher taxes, more regulation, more control.
“The lowest common denominator, trashing hopes and dreams. Conference, we have to fight to rescue our country”, he said.
Tugendhat’s mission: To win next election
Tom Tugendhat has said that his mission as the new party leader would be to “win the next election”.
He added: “As your leader I will rebuild CCHQ from the ground up, putting you at the heart of our party, and I will turn us back to being the campaign-winning machine we can be.
“My mission is to win the next general election and I have never failed a mission yet.”
Tugendhat accuses Starmer of being ‘venal and vindictive’
Tom Tugendhat told the conference: “Let’s be honest as a patriot I want what’s best for our country, so I always want our country to succeed. Labour have already shown us who we are.
“They are the most venal and vindictive administration in decades.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments