"Sorry, for Kemi Badenoch, does not seem to be the hardest word," said The Times. Last week, the Tory leader used her first major speech in opposition to deliver a characteristically punchy "mea culpa" for her party's failures in government. The Conservatives were wrong to leave the EU without a plan for growth, Badenoch said, and to make empty promises on immigration and net zero.
"The candour is refreshing," said Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian. It usually takes years for losing parties to "face up to why they actually lost". But it's also a sign that Badenoch is "rattled". And no wonder: the Tories are now in third place in several polls, behind Labour and Reform UK. Admitting past mistakes will allow her to go on the attack against Nigel Farage, who is "promising the earth" on immigration. But it also raises the question: what exactly will her party be selling, "if not the same old magic beans"?
"The answer is… hard to discern," said Rachel Cunliffe in The New Statesman. You'll notice Badenoch didn't apologise for her own record in government – she seems physically incapable of admitting personal blame. She talked only of "valiant" personal successes, such as when she repealed several EU laws as business secretary. And while she gave a long list of "what was wrong with the country: low productivity, high taxes... broken public services" – Badenoch offered nothing "in the way of solutions". She has vowed not to set out detailed policies until 2027, so that the party can take the time to "reflect". In other words: she "still has no ideas".
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st centuryFrom Santa Claus to suicide terrorism, these movies skewered big, taboo subjects
-
France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operationsUNDER THE RADAR Attacks on religious and cultural institutions around France have authorities worried about Moscow’s effort to sow chaos in one of Europe’s political centers
-
Crossword: October 30, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Voting Rights Act: SCOTUS’s pivotal decisionFeature A Supreme Court ruling against the Voting Rights Act could allow Republicans to redraw districts and solidify control of the House
-
No Kings rally: What did it achieve?Feature The latest ‘No Kings’ march has become the largest protest in U.S. history
-
Bolton indictment: Retribution or justice?Feature Trump’s former national security adviser turned critic, John Bolton, was indicted for mishandling classified information after publishing his ‘tell-all’ memoir
-
Chicago: Scenes from a city under siegeFeature Chicago is descending into chaos as masked federal agents target people in public spaces and threaten anyone who tries to document the arrests
-
Young Republicans: Does the GOP have a Nazi problem?Feature Leaked chats from members of the Young Republican National Federation reveal racist slurs and Nazi jokes
-
Push for Ukraine ceasefire collapsesFeature Talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were called off after the Russian president refused to compromise on his demands
-
Trump eyes regime change in VenezuelaFeature Officials believe Trump’s ‘war on narco-terrorism’ is actually a push to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
-
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s rebellion: Maga hardliner turns on TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
