Kemi Badenoch has published a 95‑page paper, 'The Right Way', that deliberately echoes Margaret Thatcher's 1976 pamphlet and references William Hague's 1999 conference theme. The proposals emphasise smaller government, lower taxes and rewards for work, including plans to remove the childcare "cliff‑edge" for parents earning over £100,000 and to abolish inheritance tax and stamp duty. By rejecting proposed reforms to the pension triple lock, the party faces questions about how it will fund benefit and tax changes. The document is presented as a principles‑first framework rather than a detailed manifesto.
Badenoch Unveils 95‑Page 'The Right Way' — Echoes Thatcher, Pledges Tax Cuts but Funding Questions Loom
Kemi Badenoch should follow the lead of Margaret Thatcher in reviving the fortunes of the Tory Party - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Kemi Badenoch has published a 95‑page policy document, 'The Right Way', and used her opening conference address in Birmingham to place it in the tradition of two past Conservative leaders.
The document deliberately echoes Margaret Thatcher's 1976 pamphlet 'The Right Approach', which urged a smaller state, lower taxes and greater individual freedom. Mrs Badenoch also referenced William Hague's 1999 conference theme, 'A Common Sense Revolution', signalling a return to what she described as the party's core principles.
Key Proposals
Childcare 'Cliff‑Edge': The paper proposes removing the cliff‑edge penalty that affects parents earning more than £100,000 a year, who can lose entitlement to childcare support and then begin to lose their full personal allowance as their salary approaches £125,140.
Tax Changes: Mrs Badenoch signalled intent to abolish inheritance tax and to end stamp duty, while highlighting concerns that some taxpayers face marginal rates not seen since the 1970s.
Benefits And The Triple Lock: By rejecting proposals from Andy Burnham to reform the pension triple lock, the party has been challenged to set out where savings would come from — particularly if it intends to fund broader benefit reforms alongside tax cuts.
Principles Before Promises
The document adopts a deliberately broad tone rather than a line‑by‑line manifesto. As in 1976, vagueness is framed as a virtue:
"This document contains neither popular promises designed to win elections nor a host of detailed proposals which rapidly changing circumstances may soon render irrelevant."
Mrs Badenoch makes a similar point directly:
"Argument has to come before the programme."
Observers note that the 1976 pamphlet helped lay the intellectual groundwork for an eventual election victory; Mr Hague's 1999 speech did not achieve the same electoral impact, though it shaped debates within the party. Mrs Badenoch hopes a mix of "common sense" and a renewed emphasis on fundamental principles will broaden the party's appeal beyond its base.
Political Implication: With Parliament early in its term, the document stops short of binding policy commitments. The most immediate question for the Conservatives is how they will reconcile high‑profile tax pledges with the party's refusal to countenance certain welfare savings — a clarity voters and markets will seek as the conference progresses.
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