Best of the Spectator

Quite right! live: Kemi Badenoch's last conference?

7 snips
Oct 7, 2025
Live from the Conservative Party conference, hosts discuss Kemi Badenoch's uncertain future as opposition leader amidst waning attendance and grim electoral prospects. They analyze her controversial pledge to exclude candidates against leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, sparking debate on party unity versus alienation. The rise of anti-Semitism following a terrorist attack in Manchester raises urgent questions about public safety. Finally, they weigh the implications of appointing Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
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INSIGHT

Kemi's Speech Was Substantive But Low Energy

  • Kemi Badenoch opened conference by addressing past Conservative mistakes and the ECHR stance head-on.
  • Madeleine Grant felt the speech was sensible but struggled to attract wider attention outside the conference.
INSIGHT

ECHR Stance As A Party-Unity Strategy

  • Kemi pledged to bar candidates who won't back leaving the ECHR, framed as a calculated risk.
  • Michael Gove argued the move enforces unity and responds to migration and delivery concerns.
INSIGHT

Pro-ECHR Case Appears Outdated To Critics

  • Pro-ECHR arguments often recycle rights Britain already had, making the case feel weak to some.
  • Madeleine Grant and Michael Gove said public scepticism grows because the ECHR looks like anachronistic optics.
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