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For the first time in 14 years, the Conservatives gathered not as the party in government, but as an opposition in turmoil. From September 29th to October 2nd, the conference was marked by fierce leadership struggles and a rising tide of young Conservatives eager to reshape their party’s future.
As per usual, this year’s Conservative party conference was held in Birmingham. Rather than focusing on where the party fell short in the last 100 days, there was a tense backdrop of senior Tories fighting for the position of party leader.
With the Conservatives eager to boot out Rishi, some of the most well-known Tories are battling to be party leader and used the conference to build member support.
The race involved four big players: Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat. Party members were asked who they want to be leader and Badenoch got a whopping 27% of the vote – inevitably the most support.
This left high ranked candidates like Cleverly in the dust.
Since being dropped from the race, all eyes have been on Jenrick and Badenoch with young supporters across the nation split on who to support.
No other leadership candidate really understands who Young Conservatives have been forgotten, left behind and is willing to fix that problem.
If MPs care about Young Conservatives and the long term stability of the party I urge them to vote for @KemiBadenoch #kemi4leader pic.twitter.com/gpwjhCkOp5
— Olivia Lever (@Liv_Lever) October 9, 2024
Some could argue that the conference was insufficient in truly addressing big problems and young people’s concerns due to the hyperfocus on the leadership race.
This attitude was echoed by one former MP who said, ‘With the buzz of the leadership election, you would be forgiven for forgetting which party just got hammered at the ballot box.’
Critics have analysed how the Tory conference was seemingly used as a pivot for the party to reposition itself in its new adversary guise. Many members are obviously still processing the traumatic defeat in July
Despite being sidelined by the leadership race, optimism amongst the younger Tories was still sky-high, and their fire to influence the party evident.
Following some research into the party’s waning PR, a trending ITV video featured young Conservatives thoughts on being labelled ‘weird.’
One young person in the conference said, ‘I am in total support of that, the Conservative party can be a bit weird at times.’ Fair enough… that might’ve been one of the most direct answers from the party in years.
Here are some other self-professed ‘weirdos’, I mean young conservatives, that really stuck out this conference:
MP Shivani Raja
The BBC interviewed MP Shivani Raja during the conclusion of the 2024 conference.
She is the MP for Leicester East and is currently the youngest Conservative member of parliament, thus represents young people both in the party and in parliament.
When asked what surprises her she emphasised how parliament has showcased a lot of newly elected MPs, which she states has created a ‘shift to a new era of modern day politics.’
She appeared very optimistic and relatable to young people in politics, going as far to share her biggest personal ‘icks’, including long fingernails and toenails’. Probably TMI, though I am with her on that one.
Shivani’s presence as the youngest Conservative MP in the Tory conference not only amplified the voice of young people within the party but also exemplified the growing age diversity in UK politics.
Henry Churchill
Distant relative to the famous war Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, 17-year-old Henry Churchill expressed his support for Young Conservative groups.
Henry suggested that the party should ‘tap into’ the growing right-wing youth movement in Europe. ‘Most people my age are either voting for Reform or Labour,’ he suggested.
Although YouGov data highlighted the decline in support for Tories by under 25s, some analysts warn that a rightward shift could alienate moderate supporters and weaken the party’s electoral appeal, risking further internal conflicts.
However, many other young Tories agree with Henry. A video by ITV showed young Conservative wants from the party and their conflicting views, with some yearning for drastic right-wing injection through figures like Farage. Others argue to stay centre.
While young voices in politics, especially within the Tory party, are often scarce, a striking consensus among young Conservative members reveals a powerful desire for greater involvement.
These young Tories are not just yearning for change; they are demanding it as a way to reclaim the electoral support from Gen Z.
But the pressing question remains: is the party really prepared to undertake another monumental shift after a tumultuous hundred days that have left them reeling in opposition?
Either way, the October conference’s lack of focus won’t have created any concern from the acting Labour government.
