Kemi Badenoch has admitted the Tories have a “mountain to climb” as she closed her first conference speech as party leader.
The Conservative leader spoke at the opening of the Tory party’s four-day conference in Manchester on Sunday afternoon.
She described the Conservatives as the party that will “strengthen our borders, restore our sovereignty and rebuild our prosperity”.
On the eve of the event, she unveiled plans for a special task force, called the “Removals Force” to deport 750,000 illegal immigrants from the UK.
Now speaking on stage, she said: “To me and the shadow cabinet, the resulting policy decision is also clear. We must leave the ECHR and repeal the Human Rights Act.
“I want you to know that the next Conservative manifesto will contain our commitment to leave. Leaving the convention is a necessary step but it is not enough on its own to achieve our goals.”
She added: “This is the only way to end spurious claims from immigrants with spurious lawyers and excuses. This is the only way to allow the next British government, a Conservative government, to deliver a British borders plan in full.”
Four arrested over Manchester synagogue terror attack face further questioning
Badenoch insists she can turn Tory fortunes around on eve of conference
Conservatives to pledge £1.6 billion ‘Removals Force’ to deport 150,000 a year
Badenoch is unknown to UK public and not trusted by voters, top pollster says
Key Points
- Badenoch insists leaving ECHR is 'necessary step' for 'British border plan'
- Watch live: Under pressure Badenoch takes stage for first conference speech as leader
- Badenoch donor defects to Farage’s Reform ahead of her Tory conference speech
- Tory Party conference kicks off
- Conservatives' new 'Removals Force' inspired by Trump's heavily criticised ICE
- Analysis: Badenoch does not care where she is deporting immigrants to
- Every Tory candidate in next election must back policy of leaving ECHR, Badenoch says
- New police powers unveiled after almost 500 people arrested at latest pro-Palestine protest
Tory party had been 'too soft', says Kevin Hollinrake
17:30 , Rebecca WhittakerKevin Hollinrake admitted that the tory party made “mistakes” and had been “too soft” at times, in his speech earlier.
“Let’s be honest. Despite the good, the good we did at times, we made mistakes,” the Tory chair said.
He added: “At times we were too soft. We forgot about tough love. We were too eager to please everyone. In politics, you can’t please all the people all the time and it’s a mistake to even try.”
Robert Jenrick: ‘Courts have been captured by activists’
17:15 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Robert Jenrick has said British courts have been captured by activists, blaming judges for slowing down Britain’s planning system and stopping the deportation of migrants.
The shadow justice secretary was asked why Britain struggles to get policies and planning decisions past the courts.
He said: “But I'm afraid our own courts have increasingly, in recent years, been infected by a degree of judicial activism, and we've got to change that.”
Removals force would be 'different' to ICE Priti Patel says
17:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe “removals force” proposed by the Conservatives would be “very different” from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, Dame Priti Patel has said.
In a policy document on its immigration plan, the Conservative Party said the new agency would be “modelled on the recent successful approach” of Ice.
But asked about criticism of Ice’s activity in the US, Dame Priti told a fringe event at the Conservative party conference: “America’s model is very different and what we would set up here under our party would be different as well, because our laws are different.
“Let’s just put it into the right kind of context. Our laws and the approach that we take, we have the right parameters and the boundaries when it comes to removals.”
She added: “The two are not comparable. Our system and our structures and our laws are different.”
Lucy Powell dismisses ‘ridiculous’ claims she would bring division to Labour
16:45 , Tara CobhamLucy Powell has described claims that she would bring division and disunity if she became Labour’s deputy leader as “ridiculous”.
She said suggestions she could put Labour back on the road to opposition were “a slightly ridiculous claim”, telling the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme she could help the party “reach back” into communities.
The former Commons leader said: “I want this Government to succeed.
“I’ve worked incredibly hard and loyally as a Labour frontbencher and member of the government for the last few months as well.
“I think we can be more successful if we are a better version of ourselves, if we draw in all the voices from our broad movement that are connected to our community.
“Communities will make better decisions, because we can’t sugar-coat this.
“We can’t just pretend everything’s going great and what we need is just more of the same.”
She added: “I will do that inside the family where I can. I’m not going to snipe from the sidelines but I think I can help the Labour Government to reach back to its communities, back through its movement, which is our great strength, to make sure of including those broad voices.”
Tony Blair was the 'founding father of mass migration,' says Jenrick
16:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Sir Tony Blair was the “founding father of mass migration”, Robert Jenrick has said.
The tory leadership hopeful is pitching himself to members with an ‘in conversation’ event at the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank.
The conversation is focused on migration, and Mr Jenrick has said “Westminster is catching up” to where the British public are on the issue of legal immigration.
He said: “Tony Blair was the founding father of mass migration, but that is an analogy for our country economically.“
It was baked in to the entire political, economic elite view of our country.”
Conservatives could bring the UK together with 'strong borders' and 'shared culture' Badenoch said
16:15 , Rebecca WhittakerKemi Badenoch said the Conservatives could bring the UK back together by combining “strong borders with a shared culture”.
Speaking at the party conference she said: “Britain needs deep change, but I reject the politics that everything must go, that everything must be torn down, that everything is broken.
“But if we leave it to Labour or Reform, Britain will be divided.
“Only the Conservatives can bring this country back together.
“This is a battle we must win by combining secure borders with a shared culture, strong values and the confidence of a great nation.
“We can win the debate and win the next election.”
Watch: Badenoch unable to say where 150,000 migrants a year will go once they are deported
16:00 , Tara CobhamMigrants who are found guilty of 'racial hatred' will be deported, says shadow home secretary
15:54 , Rebecca WhittakerMigrants who are found guilty of “racial hatred” will be deported under the Conservatives, shadow home secretary Chris Philp has said.
Speaking at the party’s conference in Manchester, Mr Philp said: “If a foreign citizen expresses racial hatred, including antisemitism or supports extremism or terrorism, I’ll tell you this as shadow home secretary, I’ll deport them.”
He referred to illegal migrants who had been found guilty of crimes including rape and sexual assault, who had not been deported.
He said: “This is sick. We must do whatever it takes to end this madness.”
He continued: “We will also deport all foreign criminals, not some, all. There are currently about 20,000 serious foreign criminals roaming our streets who should have been deported already.
“They have gone on to commit, between them, a further 10,000 offences, including murder and rape.”
Badenoch admits Tories have 'mountain to climb' as she ends speech
15:50 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has admitted the Tories have a “mountain to climb” as she closed her first conference speech as party leader.
She told attendees: “This is a party under new leadership with a renewed purpose - we have listened, we have learned, and we have changed.”
She described the Conservatives as the party that willl “strengthen our borders, restore our sovereignty and rebuild our prosperity”.
She concluded her speech by saying: “Yes, we have a mountain to climb, but we have a song on our hearts, and we are up for the fight.”
Badenoch: Labour and Reform are 'two sides of the same coin'
15:37 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Labour and Reform are "two sides of the same coin", Kemi Badenoch has argued, claiming neither of the two parties offer "the leadership that Britain deserves".
"You will have seen last week both Labour and Reform shouting at one another, trading insults instead of solutions. One flings around the word racist and will not be realistic about what is going wrong. The other whips up outrage, offering simplistic answers that will fall apart on first contact with reality. That is not serious politics", the Tory leader said on Sunday.
"Neither of those parties offers the leadership that Britain deserves. The truth, is that Labour and Reform are two sides of the same coin.
"Both deal in grievance, both divide our country into tribes and labels. Both practice identity politics which will destroy our country. And I am saying no - no to division and no to identity politics."
Badenoch insists leaving ECHR is 'necessary step' for 'British border plan'
15:30 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch is outlining her pledge to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if the Conservative Party get into power at the next general election.
The Tory leader told attendees at their party conference: “We must leave the ECHR and repeal the Human Rights Act.”
She described it as a “necessary step”, claiming it is “the only way to allow a British government, a British Conservative government, to deliver a British border plan”.
And she claimed doing so “would not mean that we lose any of the rights we cherish”.
Badenoch takes aim at Truss in promise to 'learn from mistakes'
15:26 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Kemi Badenoch has taken aim at previous Tory governments in her address to the Tory party conference in Manchester, saying: "Our mistakes on the economy and on immigration lost us the trust and confidence of the public".
She told party members that the public "won't listen to us again until we show them we have learnt from our mistakes and changed", adding: "We've got to do this and weve got to do this properly."
She continued: "What have we learnt? That you can't have a budget that has £150bn of spending giveaways and billions more in tax cuts without saying where the money is coming from. We have to show we have learnt from the policy mistake of letting bureaucrats decide the immigration system. We failed to bring the numbers down and stop the boats, lets be honest, that happened on our watch. Yes we tried, but put simply, we didn’t achieve enough.
"After years of responsible and effective government, our mistakes on the economy and on immigration lost us the trust and confidence of the public."
Badenoch claims pro-Palestine protests have become 'carnivals of hatred directed at Jewish homeland'
15:25 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has claimed pro-Palestine protests have become “carnivals of hatred directed at the Jewish homeland”.
She said: “You have no right to turn our streets into theatres of intimidation and we will not let you do so anymore.”
Badenoch: 'Why can’t we control our borders and remove those who need to go?'
15:23 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has questioned: “Why can’t we control our borders and remove those who need to go?”
Giving her welcome speech on Sunday afternoon, the Conservative leader will pledge to use a special task force to deport 750,000 illegal immigrants from the UK.
Badenoch's speech clashes with former leadership rival Jenrick
15:19 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Kemi Badenoch's speech was delayed in getting underway, and she faces clashing with her former leadership rival Robert Jenrick.
The Tory leader's speech is now running against a fringe event featuring the shadow justice secretary.
He is still seen as a potential challenger to woo Ms Badenoch and is appearing at a slew of events in the coming days as he seeks to woo activists and cement his popularity with MPs.
He has dominated the headlines with stunts including a video in which he tackled fare-dodgers on public transport.
And as Ms Badenoch looks to make an impression on the country and build her own brand, she risks being overshadowed once more by Mr Jenrick.
Badenoch: Tory conference is about 'return to values that define our country at its best'
15:16 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
This year's Conservative Party conference is about a "return to values that defined our country at its best", Kemi Badenoch has said, promising that her party is "ready to earn the trust of the British people again".
She added: "But I didn’t say it would be easy. I didn’t say it would be quick. Nothing really worth doing is. Anyone who tells you there are easy answers to the questions this country faces is either lying to you or lying to themselves."
"We have plenty of reasons to be cheerful. As one of my great predecessor's Margaret Thatcher put it: 'The facts of life are conservative'".
Tories would introduce 'reset', Badenoch pledges
15:14 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has said the Conservatives would introduce a “reset” if they were to get into power at the next general election.
She told the Tory Party conference a government under her would be “politics done differently, politics done properly”.
'Extremism has gone unchecked' in Britain, Badenoch claims
15:12 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has claimed “extremism has gone unchecked” in Britain.
Speaking at the Tory Party conference, she told attendees: “We have tolerated this in our country for too long.”
Kemi Badenoch: ‘Conservatives love Manchester’
15:10 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Kemi Badenoch opened her conference speech by praising Manchester as a city defined by free enterprise and entrepreneurialism.
“Conservatives love Manchester,” the Tory leader said.
It will not be lost on Mancunians, however, that the Conservatives came here two years ago for their party conference and scrapped the northern leg of HS2, which would have connected Manchester to London.
The city’s mayor Andy Burnham also had high profile clashes with the past Conservative government when Boris Johnson plunged it into tier 3 lockdown restrictions.
Badenoch opens speech by speaking about terror attack at Manchester synagogue
15:09 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has opened her Tory Party conference speech by speaking about the terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester this week.
She described the “horrific and despicable” attack as an attack on the idea that Britain is a safe place for Jews”.
Badenoch takes to stage for first Tory Party conference speech as leader
15:06 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has taken to the stage for her first Conservative Party conference speech as leader of the party, as she faces increasing pressure to upturn the Tories’ fortunes amid dire poll ratings.
Conservative members have gathered in Manchester as the party’s four-day conference kicks off on Sunday.
Giving her welcome speech on Sunday afternoon, the Conservative leader will pledge to use a special task force to deport 750,000 illegal immigrants from the UK.
Matthew Syed calls Nigel Farage a 'socialist'
14:58 , Tara CobhamNigel Farage is a “socialist”, the newspaper columnist and former Labour candidate Matthew Syed has told the Conservative party conference.
Mr Syed, who announced he had joined the Conservatives last month, said: “Reform UK is described as right-wing, I want to suggest to you that this shows how far British politics has swung to the left.
“I do not believe Nigel Farage is a racist. But I do believe, based on what he has said, that he is a socialist.
“Have you seen what he is saying? He wants to nationalise the commanding heights of the British economy, remove the two-child limit, indulge in other other giveaways of stunning profligacy. These proposals, look at them, are way to the left economically of the Corbyn-McDonnell manifesto of 2017.”
Mr Syed, a former Olympic table tennis player, said he disagreed with the Tory government’s energy bailout in 2022.
He said the state has grown too large under the Conservatives. He said: “Furlough, I think we’d all agree was necessary, but look at the size and scale. Look at the vast energy bailout in 2022, billions. Conservatives understand that debt is a danger.”
Tories were 'too soft' in government, party's chairman says
14:47 , Tara CobhamThe Conservative Party was “too soft” and “too eager to please everyone” in government, the party’s chairman Kevin Hollinrake has said.
Speaking to the Tory conference, Mr Hollinrake praised the virtues of the party being resilient.
He went on to tell the audience in Manchester: “Let’s be honest. Despite the good, the good we did at times, we made mistakes.
“At times we were too soft. We forgot about tough love. We were too eager to please everyone. In politics, you can’t please all the people all the time and it’s a mistake to even try.
“Look at the country today. We are led by a weak Prime Minister who blames everyone but himself for his failures, the economic doldrums we are experiencing, the limbo we are in today. They are purely down to him.”
Watch live: Badenoch launches Tory Party conference following pledge to deport 750,000 illegal immigrants
14:46 , Tara CobhamMinute's silence held at start of Tory party conference for Manchester terror attack victims
14:31 , Tara CobhamConservative Party activists held a minute’s silence at the beginning of the party conference in Manchester in memory of the two people killed in the terror attack at a synagogue on Thursday.
Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives and with the entire community.
“Antisemitism is a stain on our nation’s soul. Stand in grief and solidarity with the Jewish community, I ask everyone to join me in a minute’s silence in their memory.”
Badenoch stance on ECHR ‘utterly irresponsible’, Northern Ireland secretary says
14:30 , Tara CobhamIt is “utterly irresponsible” to advocate for withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Northern Ireland secretary has said.
Hilary Benn accused the Conservative Party of advocating a policy that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement.
It comes after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said every Conservative candidate must sign up to leaving the ECHR or face being barred from standing at the next election.
Mrs Badenoch kicked off the annual Tory conference in Manchester with a pledge to leave the ECHR as part of a plan to deport 150,000 people a year from the UK.
Reform has also advocated for a withdrawal from the ECHR.
In a statement on social media, Mr Benn said: “Until recently, it was completely unthinkable that a party aspiring to govern the United Kingdom would countenance putting that agreement at risk, given that ECHR membership is one of the GFA’s founding pillars.
“Or that they would seek to put the UK in the same group as Belarus and Russia as the only three countries in Europe which would not be signatories to the convention. Utterly irresponsible.”
Former Badenoch donor backing Reform UK, according to reports
14:12 , Tara CobhamA former donor to Kemi Badenoch’s leadership campaign is reportedly backing Reform UK.
Mark Gallagher gave Mrs Badenoch £2,000 for her leadership campaign last October and left the Tories around two months ago, Sky News reported.
A Reform UK source said: “Nigel (Farage) and Mark have been friends for a long time.
“We understand he is very disenchanted with the Conservative Party,” the source added.
A Conservative source, however, said Mr Gallagher was briefly an adviser on Mrs Badenoch’s leadership campaign and pointed to his past affiliations with other political outfits, including the Brexit Party.
The Tories have seen a slew of defections to Reform UK, with London Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge Keith Prince jumping ship on the eve of the party’s conference.
Mr Gallagher has been contacted for comment.
Tory Party conference kicks off
13:57 , Tara CobhamThe Conservative Party’s four-day conference has officially kicked off in Manchester.
From 2pm, a welcome will be given by conference chairman Stewart Harper, followed by party chairman Kevin Hollinrake, Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay and Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar.
At 2.45pm, party leader Kemi Badenoch will give her welcome speech.
Home secretary denies government interference in collapse of China spying case
13:40 , Tara CobhamHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “very disappointed” at the collapse of a major Chinese spying case and denied there was any ministerial interference.
The case against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry was dropped on September 15, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs from across both sides of the political aisle. Both men had denied the allegations.
The Sunday Times reported the decision came after senior Whitehall mandarins met to discuss the trial, including national security adviser Jonathan Powell and the Foreign Office’s top civil servant Sir Oliver Robbins.
In order to prove the case under the Official Secrets Act, prosecutors would have had to show the defendants were acting for an “enemy” – but Mr Powell reportedly revealed the Government’s evidence would be based on the national security strategy, which does not use that term to describe China.
The Sunday Times reported this meant Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser due to give evidence for the prosecution, would be unable to say Beijing was an enemy.
Ms Mahmood insisted there was no Whitehall meeting to discuss the case and no ministerial involvement, although the Sunday Times report focused on the actions of officials, rather than ministers.
The Home Secretary told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I don’t recognise that reporting about a meeting, I’m not aware of any such meeting taking place.”
Tories would support Labour's proposal to expand policing powers over protests, Badenoch says
13:20 , Tara CobhamThe Conservatives would support Labour’s proposal to expand policing powers to deal with persistent protests, Kemi Badenoch has said.
She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Of course we will support them.
“But what took them so long?
“And the issue, from my perspective, is why should the public trust a Home Secretary who not that long ago was protesting herself, lay down, closed a Sainsbury’s supermarket because it was stocking Israeli goods?”
She added: “We believe in free speech, but that has to be within the bounds of the law.
“If people are using protest to intimidate, if they’re using protest to incite violence, then no, it’s not protest.”
Badenoch says economy 'will be on fire' if Reform wins next election
13:00 , Tara CobhamTory leader Kemi Badenoch has said the economy “will be on fire” if Reform UK wins the next general election.
She told GB News: “Nigel Farage wants to spend loads and loads of money on welfare.
“You look at the plans he’s talked about, our economy will be on fire if he gets in. None of it makes sense.”
Home secretary warns of 'malign and dark forces running amok' in Britain
12:40 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
On Sunday morning, Shabana Mahmood warned of a problem with integration in the UK.
Now, in an interview with Times Radio, she has warned of a "rise not only in antisemitism but in other forms of hatred as well.
"There are clearly malign and dark forces running amok across our country.
"It's a challenge for governments of all stripes to work out how to deal with these issues without placing more pressure, and frankly more unwanted burden and responsibility, on minority communities."
Badenoch claims many pro-Palestine demonstrators ‘actually out to intimidate Jews’
12:20 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said Sir Keir Starmer has not done enough and claimed that many people on pro-Palestine marches are "actually out to intimidate Jews".
She told Camilla Tominey on GB News: "I think the fact that they were marching on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, shows that many of the people going on these marches are actually out to intimidate Jews and I think that that's something that should be stopped.
"We have a right to protest in this country, but people are abusing those rights. Rights come with responsibilities.”
Asked if the Prime Minister had blood on his hands, she said: "The fact that there are people in the Jewish community who are saying that just goes to show how much he has let them down.
"I wouldn't use that language, but I would say that he has not done anything near enough to make Jews feel safe in this country."
Every Tory candidate in next election must back policy of leaving ECHR, Badenoch says
12:00 , Tara CobhamEvery Conservative candidate in the next election must back the policy of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said.
Mrs Badenoch told Camilla Tominey on GB News: “I was very clear at the shadow cabinet – where we agreed completely, it was unanimous – that we cannot have a party where people do not abide by manifesto commitments.
“If you do not agree with leaving the ECHR, then you should not and cannot stand as a Conservative candidate.”
Asked whether she will “kick people out” if they rebel on this issue, she said: “They can be in the party, but they cannot stand as MPs.
“We have lots of members who have lots of views, we don’t remove people for having slightly different views on policy.
“But if you want to be a Member of Parliament as a Conservative, then you need to understand that leaving the ECHR is a manifesto commitment.”
Badenoch claims Britain is 'spending all of our money' on dealing with immigration
11:40 , Tara CobhamBritain is “spending all of our money” on dealing with immigration, rather than the NHS or other public services, Kemi Badenoch has said.
The Conservative leader told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Right now, we have people, you know, in social housing, we’re spending loads of money, not just on hotels, but asylum centres, all of the policing that goes around it, that Epping protest after that horrific sexual assault that cost well over £1 million.
“We are spending all of our money on dealing with migration issues instead of the NHS, instead of education, instead of, you know, our health, our police force.”
Earlier, she had said failing to deport people was “basically inviting every single person across the world to our shores, because we don’t know where they would go”.
“This is a fatalistic and defeatist attitude, and I will not have that.”
Badenoch insists Tories' approach will 'pay off eventually' despite dire poll ratings
11:20 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has described her party’s recent performance as a “small political price” for an approach that would “pay off eventually”.
The Conservative leader told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Nothing good comes quickly or fast.
“It will pay off. I’m an engineer and the way I was taught to do things is you have a plan, you work it through.
“It’s not about being the first to announce a policy. It’s about having the best policy. That is what I’m offering.
“And, yes, there may have been a small political price to pay in the polls. It will pay off eventually.”
Badenoch declines to say whether she'd resign if her party’s performance didn't improve
11:00 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has declined to say whether she would resign if her party’s performance did not improve.
Asked whether she would quit if the Conservative Party’s fortunes did not get better, Mrs Badenoch told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “The fact is I was elected to do exactly what I’m doing now and I think the Conservative members are going to keep their faith in me.”
Greenpeace condemn new police protest powers as 'dangerous step towards authoritarianism'
10:40 , Tara CobhamGreenpeace UK has condemned the home secretary’s plans to grant officers more powers to police protests as a “dangerous step towards authoritarianism”.
The charity’s co-executive director Will McCallum said: “Protest works because it is repetitive. If police had told the Suffragettes or civil rights activists ‘you’ve made your point’, they would never have won the victories we all enjoy today.
“The home secretary must immediately withdraw this dangerous step towards authoritarianism. Any review of protest laws must result in greater freedom for people to make their voices heard, not less.
“We are repeatedly told that the right to protest is ‘a cornerstone of our democracy’ and yet in the last few years it has been corroded to the point of collapse. Police are already swimming in powers to shut down protests and lock activists away for years. The steady rise in protesters being arrested and served long prison sentences is proof of that.”
Badenoch 'wouldn't be surprised' if Trump 'loved' her migration plan
10:20 , Tara CobhamKemi Badenoch has said she “wouldn’t be surprised” if US President Donald Trump “loved” her migration plan.
But, speaking to the Telegraph, she said she was more interested in the views of people in the UK.
Analysis: Kemi Badenoch insists her strategy ‘will pay off’ but her own MPs worry she is running out of time
10:05 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
This is a tough party conference for Ms Badenoch this weekend.
Her own MPs increasingly think her first conference as leader could also be her last.
She told the BBC that, despite trailing Reform in the polls, her strategy “will pay off - nothing good comes quickly”.
She conceded there had been a “small political price to pay” in the opinion polls, but insisted that her plan would turn things around and work.
But she needs to convince her own MPs of that in Manchester over the next few days.
Analysis: Badenoch does not care where she is deporting immigrants to
09:54 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
The Tory leader is having a fairly fiery exchange with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC over her plans to leave the ECHR and deport around 150,000 people a year.
Ms Kuenssberg not unreasonably asks: “Where would they go?”
Ms Badenoch replied, repeatedly: “It doesn’t matter where they go, the point is that they should not be here.”
This back and forth goes on but shows a much harder rightwing line in the Tory party from when they were in government.
Basically, she wants a UK version of Trump’s notorious ICE agents in the US.
Clearly the rise of Reform has ensured that the Tories have abandoned more nuanced approaches on issues like stronger borders.
Kemi Badenoch asks ‘what took them so long?’ on protests crackdown
09:42 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised the government over the planned crackdown on repeat protests, asking: “What took them so long?”
She insisted that her party believes in free speech, but added “it has to be within the bounds of the law”.
Home secretary denies she considered resigning over Gaza
09:28 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
The home secretary has denied that she considered resigning over Gaza.
Initially, Shabana Mahmood said: “I don’t think my personal decisions here are what matter.”
But pushed on the BBC on whether she considered quitting over Labour’s position on Gaza, she said: “No.”
She also said she accepted collective responsibility and was a “proud part” of the government.
Britain’s Jewish community ‘justified’ in asking more from government, home secretary says
09:24 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Shabana Mahmood did not rule out an inquiry into antisemitism this morning.
She told the BBC that the Jewish community “are justified in asking for more from their government “ when they think they are their children are going to have to love “smaller” Jewish lives.
She said she would consider the best way to respond to the “rising tide” of antisemitism.
Home secretary says she is working to close a 'gap in the law' on protests
09:16 , Tara CobhamHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was working to close a “gap in the law” on protests.
She told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “The strengthening of the legislation that I’m going to bring about is based on the ability of the police to place conditions and restrictions on protests.
“And what I will be making explicit is that cumulative disruption – that is to say, the frequency of particular protests in particular places – is, in and of itself, a reason for the police to be able to restrict and place conditions.
“That is to say, they can move them to a different place, they can restrict the time that those protests can occur on, so that will unlock all of the broader measures that the police can already do on protests.
“It’s been clear to me in conversations in the last couple of days that there is a gap in the law and there is an inconsistency of practice, so I’ll be taking measures immediately to put that right.
“And I will be reviewing our wider protest legislation as well to make sure the arrangements we have can meet the scale of the challenge that we face, which is protecting the right to protest, but ensuring that our communities can go about their daily business without feeling intimidated and also that public order can be maintained.”
Home secretary warns Britain has a ‘problem’ with integration
09:10 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
The home secretary has warned Britain has a “problem” with integration.
Shabana Mahmood told Sky News: “There is a question for us to ask ourselves on integration.
“When somebody who has grown up with all of the advantages of this society, all of the rights, the freedoms… that go alongside that, why do people do these acts?”
She said it is the government’s job “to think long and hard about what is happening”.
“I do consider it my responsibility to draw wider lessons on integration… I do recognise that there is a problem here. It is one for us as a government to think deeply about.”
Home secretary urges society to 'think carefully' about tackling rising antisemitism
09:05 , Tara CobhamThe home secretary has urged society to “think carefully about what we do to stem the rising tide of antisemitism”.
Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Shabana Mahmood told Sky News: “That is a challenge to all of us across society and in government to think carefully about what we do to stem the rising tide of antisemitism and give confidence to the Jewish community that Jewish life will continue to flourish in the UK.”
Conservatives' new 'Removals Force' inspired by Trump's heavily criticised ICE
09:01 , Tara CobhamThe Conservatives’ new "Removals Force" takes inspiration from Trump's ICE.
But ICE has also been heavily criticised in the past year for arresting both legal migrants and US citizens. It has also been accused of targeting people based on their race.
Amnesty condemns Palestine Action arrests as 'in breach of UK's human rights obligations'
08:54 , Tara CobhamAmnesty has condemned the Palestine Action arrests as “in breach of the UK's international human rights obligations”.
Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK’s Director of Campaigns and Communications, said: “It will never stop being upsetting and shocking to witness older people, people with disabilities, doctors in scrubs, young people and relatives of holocaust survivors being hauled from the streets into police vans.
“Police chiefs have discretion as to how they choose to police demonstrations. Arresting hundreds of people for peacefully sitting down and holding these signs is not the job of police. These arrests are in breach of the UK's international human rights obligations and should not be happening.
“The UK government should not be criminalising and demonising these peaceful demonstrators to distract from their failure to take meaningful action to end Israel’s genocide.”
New police powers unveiled after almost 500 people arrested at latest pro-Palestine protest
08:49 , Tara CobhamThe home secretary has unveiled measures giving police more protest powers following frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including an event in London on Saturday which saw almost 500 arrests.
Saturday’s event in London took place despite calls for restraint following the synagogue attack in Manchester on Thursday.
Almost 500 people were arrested, including 488 arrests for supporting banned terror organisation Palestine Action.
Police to be given greater powers to restrict protests
08:46 , Tara CobhamPolice are to be given greater powers to restrict protests by allowing them to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeated demonstrations.
The measures follow frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations including an event in London on Saturday which saw almost 500 arrests.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused “considerable fear” for the Jewish community.
The Government will amend Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to explicitly allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests on local areas in order to impose conditions on public processions and assemblies.
The Home Secretary will also review existing legislation to ensure powers are sufficient and are being applied consistently by police forces – this will include powers to ban protests outright.
Badenoch under pressure to convince party members she can lead them into next election
08:22 , Rebecca WhittakerConservative party leader Kemi Badenoch has faced pressure to convince members of her party that she can lead them into the next election.
“Hold your nerve. Hold your nerve,” Mrs Badenoch said in an interview with the Telegraph. “We are the only party that can deliver a stronger economy and stronger borders. If we don’t hold our nerve, we are giving our country up. That is not right.”
“There will be tangible improvement. But it never happens overnight,” she added.
Immigration set to be one of key themes of Conservative Party conference
08:20 , Rebecca WhittakerImmigration is set to be one of the key themes of the Conservative Party conference.
It comes as 34,401 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office figures, putting 2025 on course to break the record for most arrivals in a single year.
Kemi Badenoch said: “We must tackle the scourge of illegal immigration into Britain and secure our borders. That is why the Conservatives are setting out a serious and comprehensive new plan to end this crisis.”
Tory party conference kicks off today
08:19 , Tara CobhamThe Tory party conference kicks off today.
From 2pm, a welcome will be given by conference chairman Stewart Harper, followed by party chairman Kevin Hollinrake, Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay and Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar.
Party leader Kemi Badenoch will welcome attendees at 2.45pm.
Just 11% of voters believe Tories are ready for government, YouGov poll finds
08:16 , Rebecca WhittakerA YouGov poll on the eve of the Tory conference showed just 11 per cent of voters believe the party is ready for government.
Meanwhile, just one in five voters believes Kemi Badenoch has done well as Tory leader, according to the survey, while nearly half (45 per cent) think she has done badly.
A seat-level forecast by the pollster found that, were a general election held today, the party would fall from having 119 MPs to just 45, while Reform would be the largest party on 311.
