UBBC at Conservative Conference

UBBC attended the Conservative conference in Manchester and found a party regrouping after its election failure in 2024. While there was talk of challenging the leader Kemi Badenoch, it’s clear she rose to the challenge and ended the week in a strong position, refocusing the party on core values, with the smaller core of delegates in good heart and beginning the reinvention of the party. While fewer delegates attended there was a striking younger demographic in attendance, which suggests many of the older ones have drifted to Reform. Youth is a good sign, and it felt like a Darwinian cleansing has occurred.

In terms of foreign policy and in contrast to Labour, the party was much more focused on Ukraine and the threats to the UK. Priti Patel the shadow FCDO minister hawkishly leading from the platform with a strong and urgent articulation of the need for resilience and focus of the armed and intelligence (cyber)  forces for the current threats aligned from Russian hybrid warfare and the new axis of autocracy including China and Iran and calling for unyielding support for Ukraine. She invited two Ukraine officers onto the platform with Jack Lopresti Ex MP to discuss the war. The threats to UK were also covered in several panels including from the Conservative Middle East Council, with Nicholas Hopton, calling for soft power to be supported through trade, business, the British council and BBC, and through economic resilience, aligned with proposals for support of defence and armament production.

Chatham House were prevalent with Wendy Morten the Shadow foreign minister on this topic, and Andrew Mitchell talking in development terms, while Andrew Griffith the shadow business secretary made the point that the party is back on the side of businesses, and was pro trade with international partners. In general, the party is calling for integration of all UK levers to work together – business, trade, soft power and hard defence in the national interest.

The Turkish ambassador and KRG commissioner were highly visible including the EU commissioners’ event where Priti Patel called for unity with Europe in the face of Russian aggression.Both at the Eu Commissioners reception and  The Conservative Friends of Ukraine, a high turnout saw Priti Patel raise the temperature standing firm behind Ukraine with Jack Lopresti and two UKR commanders on stage. Coalition for Global Prosperity panels also saw the hawkish defence argument being made as a growth strategy for UK business and resilience, arguing for high quality jobs and the social benefit the arms industry brings to communities.

This is a party not to be written off but undergoing reinvention that may yet surprise at the next election.