Overview

• Twenty Conservative councillors announced defections to Reform UK on the morning of the Manchester conference, intensifying pressure on Kemi Badenoch.
• Badenoch refused to say whether she admires Nigel Farage, ruled out any electoral pact with Reform, and declined to commit to resigning after poor May results.
• An exclusive poll of Tory members reported roughly half do not want Badenoch to lead into the next election, with separate YouGov findings showing strong grassroots support for cooperation with Reform.
• The party used the conference to push tougher migration plans, including a pledge to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and pursue ICE-style deportations.
• Robert Jenrick drew large crowds and proposed scrapping the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Sentencing Council and immigration tribunals, even as the scaled‑back conference saw sparse attendance for other shadow cabinet speeches.