November marked the first anniversary of Kemi Badenoch's election as Conservative Party leader. It has been a year of rebuilding our party, our purpose, and our plan for Britain’s future.
This is her message to members and to voters:
"After the 2024 defeat, we faced hard truths and harder choices. We could have retreated into slogans. Instead, we chose to rebuild and do so with honesty, discipline, and optimism.
We are once again standing for what made Britain great: responsibility, fairness, competence, and pride in our nation.
Over these 12 months, we have stayed united and that unity has turned into strength. With a strong team in the shadow cabinet and a focus on values-led policy, we are giving the Party new energy and direction.
We’ve had a lot of successes:
- We've raised more funds than any other political party - in Q1 and Q2 of this year we raised more than either Labour or Reform.
- We forced Keir Starmer into U-turns on Winter Fuel Payments, Grooming Gangs and Immigration Policy.
- We have led the fight against Labour’s tax raids – the Jobs Tax, the Family Farm Tax and the Schools Tax.
- And we got the outstanding Conservative Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Paul Bristow elected.
There have been difficult moments, none more so than the local elections earlier this year. But we have learned lessons and those challenges have made us stronger, sharper, and more determined and able to deliver in May 2026.
We are already laying the groundwork. Our campaign plans are being rebuilt from the ground up, with better data, smarter strategy, and stronger teams.
At CCHQ, we’re revitalising every part of the operation — from grassroots outreach to digital communications.
Our new Opposition Research Unit has already proved its worth, uncovering serious impropriety at the heart of Labour that led directly to the resignation of Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister. That is Conservative competence in action: disciplined, forensic, effective.
At the same time, we’ve set out a serious Conservative alternative a plan to restore economic strength and secure our borders:
- Cutting waste with a £47 billion savings plan to restore sound finances, underpinned by our Golden Economic Rule.
- Abolishing Stamp Duty on primary residences to make it easier for millions to realise the dream of home ownership.
- Making work pay through bold welfare reform that rewards effort and protects the vulnerable.
- Abolishing the Carbon Tax and Net Zero levies to cut family energy bills and revive British industry.
- Backing thousands of small businesses by scrapping their business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure.
- Expanding opportunity with more apprenticeships and an end to debt-trap degrees.
- Restoring order with 10,000 new police officers, tougher sentencing, and secure borders outside the ECHR.
We are now a stronger team: united by conviction, guided by principle, and ready to lead again. Every leaflet delivered, every doorstep conversation, every campaign meeting brings us closer to success at the next general election.
The coming year will be about turning conviction into victory.
Britain needs competence, courage, and a clear plan and only the Conservative Party has all three.
Together, we will rebuild Britain, restore trust in politics, and deliver what Labour cannot: a stronger economy and stronger borders.
Thank you for standing with our Party and our country. Thank you for standing with me.
With your support, I will continue the job you elected me to do last year. To renew our party, to serve our people, hold the government to account and to win the battle for Conservative values again.
Our mission is to deliver a Stronger Economy and Stronger Borders. Our united team will continue to work on delivering that."
If you are not yet a member of the Party and would like to join us and play your part in the renewal of Britain, as well as accessing other benefits like attending events and standing for political office, go here to see joining options.