Political Opinion: Kemi Badenoch is the only leader with a plan for the country 

Monthly column by Blake Stephenson, the Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire.

The renewed Conservative Party is ready to get Britain working again. And thanks to Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, it is the only party that is ready to do so. 

That was clear from the strong messages from Kemi and the wider team at Conservative Party Conference this week. 

We have now heard from all the major parties during conference season. At a time when the world is becoming increasingly dangerous and uncertain, Andy Burnham barely gave defence a mention at Labour Party Conference, let alone set out a serious plan for keeping our country safe. 

Reform spent much of their time talking about the Conservatives, after spending the summer arguing with a bin. And the less said about the Green Party’s conference the better. 

Only the Conservatives came forward with a serious plan for Britain – one that will get taxes down, protect our country from its enemies and put British people first. 

That means recognising that government cannot simply keep asking working people to pay more and more. People across Mid Bedfordshire work hard, run businesses, employ others and contribute enormously to our local economy. They deserve a government that rewards work rather than constantly reaching into their pockets. 

It also means getting serious about defence and national security. The world has become a more dangerous place, and Britain cannot afford to take its security for granted. We need to rebuild our armed forces, strengthen our borders and make sure our country has the resilience to deal with the threats we face. That’s why we announced we will build the Britannia Shield – an integrated missile defence system. 

And we need to restore confidence in Britain’s future. That means backing entrepreneurs and businesses, supporting young people into work, cutting unnecessary regulation and creating the conditions for investment and growth. 

Of course, there is a lot of work to do to rebuild trust in the Conservative Party. We recognise that. But that work is underway. And Kemi set out those plans at conference last week. 

Kemi has been clear about the direction she wants to take the party: lower taxes, stronger defence, controlled borders and an economy where hard work is rewarded. 

We want to rebuild trust with the public, restore confidence in the country and get Britain working again.