The Conservatives have changed under my leadership, we’ll get Britain working again - Kemi Badenoch
A vote for the Conservatives on May 7 is a vote for a party that supports hardworking people, backs business, and wants to make government work for you. The Conservative Party you see today is different to the one that lost the last election.
Under my leadership we have changed. We have recognised where we went wrong, and we are using our time in opposition to ensure we have the plans and the team to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again.
I know what my principles are, and I know what it means to be a Conservative. And everyone who stands for us knows and believes the same.
Across Yorkshire, in Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Keighley and Halifax people are telling us the same thing. They want safer streets, thriving high streets and councils that deliver value for money. That is what Conservatives deliver. It is what we are campaigning to bring to communities across Yorkshire.
That is why the Conservative Party has set out clear plans to back people who work hard and do the right thing.
That means a future Conservative Government will abolish business rates for thousands of high street shops, cafes and pubs - the backbone of places from Brighouse to Wetherby. It means we will scrap stamp duty on the family home. It also means we would cut families’ energy bills by £200 through our Cheap Power Plan, drilling our own oil and gas in the North Sea instead of forcing up costs through green taxes.
We will also take back our streets.Too many communities have seen crime and antisocial behaviour become the norm. So our plan is for 10,000 more police, tougher enforcement and real consequences. Offenders will clean up the damage they cause.
We will also back British farming by scrapping Labour’s Family Farm Tax in full. And we know how we will pay for all this - our plan is backed by £47bn in savings.
We will make sure that those who can work, do work. We will make it harder to claim benefits for low level mental health conditions and reinstate the two-child benefit cap.
We will cut the civil service back to a sustainable size, ending the bloated bureaucracy that has grown in recent years.
These are not only the right decisions, but by cutting spending we can bring down your taxes, back business, and support families without asking people to pay more. This is what serious leadership and a clear plan looks like. Because, where other parties have been in charge, the result is clear: higher taxes and worse services.
Conservative Councils keep taxes lower and services running. But with Labour, Reform, the Lib Dems and the Greens the picture is the same.
In towns and cities across Yorkshire, residents are paying more and getting less, with basic services like bin collections and road maintenance falling behind.
Local elections are about the issues that matter most to you. Not international causes.
Whether it is the Greens or so-called Gaza Independents, too many are more interested in importing global conflicts into town halls than fixing potholes or keeping streets safe. That is not what local government is for.
Yorkshire deserves better: cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods, stronger local economies and politicians who spend your money properly.
On May 7, back our plan and vote Conservative to Get Britain Working again.
Kemi Badenoch is leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.