The Manchester conference centre may have been half-empty, but the drama was full-fat. With the Tories still licking their wounds post-election and Kemi Badenoch trying to steady the ship, this year’s Conservative Party Conference was less rallying cry, more ideological reckoning. So, who emerged stronger and who’s heading for the backbenches?
Read more in this week's Who's Top, Who's Not.
Top – Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage may not have had a formal slot at the Conservative Party Conference, but his shadow loomed large over Manchester.
On the third day of the conference, the announcement that twenty Conservative councillors had defected to Reform UK sent shockwaves through the party ranks. Coming just weeks after Danny Kruger MP’s high-profile defection, the timing couldn’t have been worse for Kemi Badenoch, who was already battling to assert control over a fractured base.
Her attempt to downplay the damage claiming the Conservatives were “shedding a lot of the baggage of the last 14 years” rang hollow as polling showed growing support for Reform among traditional Tory voters.
Farage’s message of radical change, built on sovereignty, strict immigration control, and a ruthless approach to government efficiency, is no longer fringe. It’s fast becoming the gravitational centre of the right.
With local associations reportedly in talks to switch allegiance and Reform UK’s membership swelling, Farage isn’t just outside the tent, he’s pitching a marquee next door and the queue to get in is growing.
Middle - Lucy Powell
Lucy Powell is quietly turning the Labour deputy leadership contest into a how-to in coalition-building. With ballots now open and party members casting votes, Powell looks to be surging ahead by stitching together support from across Labour’s often-fractious spectrum.
Taking the headlines this week, she received backing from Neil Kinnock, was embraced by the Andy Burnham-aligned Mainstream group, and perhaps most surprisingly endorsed by Momentum, despite not being a darling of the hard left.
Her campaign has struck a chord with members who want a deputy leader rooted in the movement, able to be a constructive critic of the government, and capable of bridging divides.
While Bridget Phillipson offers Cabinet polish and policy depth, Powell’s pitch is more emotive: regional clout, grassroots credibility, and a track record of party loyalty without being a Starmer echo. Her Manchester roots have made her a favourite among local organisers and union reps, many of whom see her as a steady hand in turbulent times.
The contest is seen by some as a proxy referendum on Labour’s direction. And Powell’s ability to unite disparate factions without pandering to any, suggests she’s not just winning votes, she’s winning trust. If the early signals hold, Powell could soon be in a significant position within the Labour movement.
Bottom – Kemi Badenoch
In her first party conference as Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch needed a big win… she didn’t get one.
At Manchester there was a subdued, often awkward atmosphere: many fringe events were sparsely attended, receptions were half-full, and business delegates quietly slipped out early. The optics were unmistakable, this wasn’t a party on the march, but one struggling to remember why it exists.
Energetic attempts to rally the faithful with headline-grabbing policies like scrapping business rates, deficit reduction and abolishing stamp duty may satisfy internal critics for now. But the empty seats, swathes of untouched blue carpet, and polling showing that nearly 50% of Tory members want her to step down, spoke louder than any speech.
For Badenoch, the conference was less a coronation and more a cautionary tale: the party may have a new leader, but it’s still searching for a reason to follow.