The Conservative Party conference is underway, and four potential leadership contenders are vying for the party’s top job. Interviews with two of the potential leaders, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, will be featured on Sunday’s Laura Kuenssberg programme. Each contender will be interviewed for half an hour in front of an audience on Monday and Tuesday. In addition, they will attend at least 20 other events ranging from Q&A sessions to press interviews.
On Wednesday, the four will give a 20-minute speech that will determine if their leadership bids will succeed or fail. The pressure is on, as they will need to deliver a standout performance in front of an audience eager to find the next leader who could follow in the footsteps of David Cameron. The young shadow education secretary courted the party’s attention in 2005 with a strong performance at the Conservative Party Conference without cues or formal speech.
Robert Jenrick has run an organised campaign. However, his colleagues describe him as a “boring Midlands bank manager.” Kemi Badenoch has won “some evangelical followers,” but critics say she is too combative. James Cleverly is considered a safe pair of hands but is labelled a “blank” by former colleagues. Finally, Tom Tugendhat is the “outsider” who has yet to impress in the campaign and must pull up his socks during his upcoming speech.
The conference is a crucial time for the Conservative Party, as they must find leadership soon to challenge a shaky Labour government. Despite appearing dismal after last year’s election defeat, party insiders believe they can regain their lost ground and appeal to a broader audience. Regardless, the next leader must win over the electorate’s heart, reclaim Reform’s land and lead a party that has had difficulty avoiding self-inflicted wounds
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