UK politics live: Robert Jenrick opens door for Boris Johnson return if he becomes Tory leader

Tory leadership candidates to deliver keynote speeches as conference ends

The four Conservative leadership candidates are preparing for their final chance to address the party’s conference in their race to be Rishi Sunak’s successor.

Optimism, the party’s future and the economy will be among the topics touched on when Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly address delegates in Birmingham on Wednesday.

Their contest has been the focus of the four-day gathering as the party looks to rebuild after the general election loss in July.

The final session comes the day after Mr Jenrick suffered a backlash from his rivals for claiming that UK special forces were “killing rather than capturing” terrorists.

Ms Badenoch is also expected to focus on economic policy and pitch that the Conservatives “have to be the party of wealth creation”, while Mr Cleverly will tell members to be “enthusiastic” and “optimistic”, and that they will win back the electorate by being “professional”.

Salma Ouaguira2 October 2024 07:14

James Cleverly admits he ‘messed up’ when he joked about spiking his wife

James Cleverly said he “messed up” when he joked about spiking his wife’s drink with a date rape drug.

In December 2023, the Sunday Mirror reported that Mr Cleverly told female guests at a Number 10 event that “a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night” was “not really illegal if it’s only a little bit”.

At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the former home secretary said his comments – which he made hours after announcing plans to crack down on spiking – were “wrong” and “crass”.

Asked what his wife Susannah Cleverly’s response to the remark was, Mr Cleverly replied: “Oh you don’t want to hear what Mrs Cleverly said to me after.

“If you think that got me in trouble, repeating the words she said to me would get me in an awful lot of trouble, particularly on a live broadcast.

“Look, I messed up. I messed up. I was trying to make a point that I was the home secretary who was updating the law to make spiking illegal, to protect women. I was trying to make that point in front of a number of journalists.”

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 06:30

Half Tory members want party to merge with Reform, poll for Liz Truss’s thinktank reveals

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 05:30

Watch: Robert Jenrick admits his daughter’s middle name is Thatcher

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 04:30

ICYMI: Jenrick says he would ‘absolutely’ reverse VAT on private schools

Robert Jenrick has said he “would absolutely” reverse Labour’s introduction of VAT on private schools if he were to become prime minister.

Speaking about his own experience of being sent to private school, the Tory leadership contender said we “should never bow to the politics of envy”.

Mr Jenrick said: “I grew up to two people from a working-class background. Money was quite tight in our household – my mum and dad had quit their jobs and set up a small business and it didn’t prosper initially.

“I went to a state primary school and my grandad died. And my grandmother, who was not a wealthy person herself, decided – instead of going on a cruise or doing anything else you might do with some money – to spend that money putting my sister and I through private school.

“To me, that is an innately conservative story and we should never bow to the politics of envy. We should respect people who make decisions like that.”

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 03:30

Exclusive: Rishi Sunak draws inspiration from Blair as he plans to stay involved in UK politics with his own team

Read the full report from our political editor David Maddox:

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 02:30

Watch: Tom Tugendhat giving out the Tugend-hat at Tory party conference

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 01:30

Government must put right injustice of colleges having no VAT relief – leaders

The Government should put right the “injustices” of colleges having to pay VAT to ensure further education students no longer have fewer resources, sector leaders have urged.

Plans to remove the VAT exemption for private schools shows it is “possible” to make changes to the rules, according to a letter to the Chancellor from the Association of Colleges (AoC).

It said colleges spend an estimated £210 million a year on VAT – 3% of income – that they cannot reclaim, which is “a tax” on further education (FE) students.

“The result is that college students have fewer resources spent on them than their peers in schools,” leaders have said.

The letter to Rachel Reeves, signed by around 172 college leaders, has called for the autumn budget to offer colleges the VAT reimbursement that state schools and academies benefit from.

It said: “The imminent extension of VAT to independent schools offers the perfect opportunity to put right the injustice of colleges having no VAT relief despite their strong social inclusion and public service roles.”

Jabed Ahmed2 October 2024 00:30

Tugendhat says Jenrick knows ‘nothing’ about sensitive military matters amid SAS comments

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has suggested his rival Robert Jenrick knows “nothing about” sensitive military matters.

Mr Tugendhat was asked about the Newark MP’s claims that British special forces had killed terrorists rather than capture them for fear human rights law would free detainees.

He told a Conservative conference fringe event: “It is an extremely serious allegation and without very specific examples it would be – I think – it would be irresponsible to do that.

“I have heard somebody say that we couldn’t have conducted an operation like that against Osama bin Laden, that is simply not true. It is just simply not true.”

Mr Tugendhat, a former security minister, added: “If you present a legitimate military threat to the United Kingdom, then we have under the laws of armed conflict today a legal ability and in fact a military capability to conduct operations to keep the British people safe.

“I am afraid that is simply a fact, and if you don’t know it please don’t comment on military matters you know nothing about.”

Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 23:30

Starmer heads to Brussels seeking post-Brexit improvement in EU relations

Sir Keir Starmer heads to Brussels on Wednesday promising to “put the Brexit years behind us” as he seeks a closer relationship with the European Union.

The Prime Minister will push for a better trading relationship and greater co-operation on defence and security measures.

But he is under pressure to agree to Brussels’ calls for a deal on youth mobility to allow young EU citizens greater freedom to come to the UK to study and work and vice versa, something Sir Keir has so far resisted.

The Prime Minister will hold separate meetings with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council chief Charles Michel and the European Parliament’s Roberta Metsola during his visit to Brussels.

Jabed Ahmed1 October 2024 22:31