Conservative leadership hopefuls vow change to win again

Last to speak was Badenoch, who pledged a “reboot” of the British state as she attacked what she branded “agressive identity politics” and “socialism”.

Speaking about her upbringing in Nigeria, Badenoch said she valued “Conservative freedoms” and had “seen what happens when a country loses sight of those principles”.

The former business secretary argued that the UK’s system of government was “broken” and her party needed to go back to “first principles” to fix it.

“If I become leader, we will immediately begin a once in a generation undertaking,” she said, promising a “comprehensive plan to reprogramme the British state”.

Her plan, she said, would focus on reforming international agreements, human rights laws, the Treasury, the Bank of England, the civil service and NHS.

She said her campaign was about “renewal” in time for the next general election, adding: “We have it in our power to make the 2030s a golden decade.”