Anyone who doubted Kemi Badenoch's credentials as Conservative leader - or as a future prime minister - has got their answer.
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who → doubt → answer
It is just a year since she made her party conference debut at the helm in front of a membership still drained and distraught by the worst electoral drubbing in Tory history.
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she → make → history
But there was a real sense of momentum - and the prospect of destiny in the making - in Birmingham yesterday as she declared that the next election will be 'a battle for the soul of the nation'.
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election → be → nation
Unveiling plans to scrap inheritance tax on family residences, she reminded delegates that the Conservatives have 'always been the party of home ownership'.
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Conservatives → unveil → ownership
The announcement followed previous commitments to abolish stamp duty on primary homes and drop the Government's so-called 'mansion tax'.
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announcement → follow → tax
Each of these initiatives will strike a deep chord in the British psyche.
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Each → strike → psyche
History shows that we have always strived to buy our homes and, of course, there is much to suggest that property ownership is a key factor in binding communities together
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ownership → show → communities
Yet these moves also illustrate the chasm between Conservative philosophy and Labour's petty begrudgery.
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moves → illustrate → philosophy
There are many in Andy Burnham's party who despise the notion that people might want to do better for their families.
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people → be → families
Unveiling plans to scrap inheritance tax on family residences, she reminded delegates that the Conservatives have 'always been the party of home ownership'
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Conservatives → unveil → ownership
There are even more on the Left who think there is something obscene about anyone aspiring to move to a nicer house through hard work and financial prudence.
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who → be → work
As Mrs Badenoch pointed out, the Labour Party considers it 'selfish to pass on what you have earned to your children' - whereas it is, she also remarked, 'one of the most human instincts of all' for most of us.
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she → point → us
Nor, unsurprisingly, do the differences end there.
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differences → end → ?
By refusing to entirely abolish inheritance tax at a time when reducing the national debt, funding defence and building prisons are all priorities, the Tories are showing the sort of fiscal responsibility that is anathema to the Left.
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that → refuse → Left
Mrs Badenoch has also produced a detailed plan to slash the benefits bill and signalled her determination to tackle the migrant crisis in a meaningful way.
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Badenoch → produce → way
All sorts of expensive, ill-conceived proposals and barely a word on where the money to pay for them is coming from.
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money → conceive → them
The Tory leader sent out a powerful signal in yesterday's speech that - despite calls for the Right to unite in advance of the next general election - she is unwilling to do business with Reform UK.
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she → send → UK
In a scathing putdown, Mrs Badenoch - who has always worn her African heritage lightly - said she does not want to live in a country run by people who 'debate whether my mixed-race children are English'.
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children → wear → people
For perhaps the first time since the 2024 election, the battle lines are clearly drawn.
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lines → draw → election
The stage looks increasingly set for a head-to-head fight between classic Conservatism and 1970s-era hardline socialism.
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stage → set → Conservatism
No one disputes that the Tories have much catching up to do in terms of electoral support.
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Tories → dispute → support
Although some recent opinion polls have shown them nosing ahead of Reform, they are lagging well behind Labour.
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they → show → Labour
For her part, Mrs Badenoch chose a High Street analogy to describe the situation.
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Badenoch → choose → situation
'People are looking through the shop window,' she said.
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she → look → window
'They like what they see, but let's be honest, not enough of them are buying yet.
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enough → like → them
Following yesterday's convincing performance, it seems likely they'll be queuing out the door before much longer.
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they → follow → door
Kemi's family home pledge: Tories promise NO stamp duty when you buy your house, NO mansion tax when you're living in it and NO inheritance tax when the time comes to pass it on
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time → promise → it
- Cutting property taxes speaks to something deeply ingrained in our psyche - and will boost the economy too:
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Cutting → cut → economy
Don't tell me that I am not British: Mrs Badenoch gives Reform both barrels for 'trying to take the UK backwards'
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Badenoch → tell → UK
From the 'drama queens' of Reform to the 'Paddington Bear PM', we reveal the main themes of Kemi's speech
- DAN HODGES: This was Kemi's best speech yet - she exploited glaring gaps in Labour policy
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she → reveal → policy
The Aporia
