Daily Telegraph 2026-10-08 - Inheritance tax fight

Oct 8, 2026

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pledges to fight for Conservative values by promising tax cuts for middle-class voters, including abolishing inheritance tax on family homes under a future Tory government. In a Birmingham speech at the end of the party conference, she attacks Reform UK and Labour, details proposed IHT changes, and frames the next election as a battle for the nation. Her remarks also address welfare, benefits cuts, and childcare policy proposals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time46 min

AccessFree to download

Inheritance tax pledge at Conservative conference

Badenoch’s campaign message and attacks

Details of the proposed IHT changes and funding

Wider policy points: welfare and childcare

Mountbatten-Windsor and tariff policy related coverage

# be Daily Celcgrapb We'reready for the fight Badenoch says Tories will abolish inheritance tax as she takes battle 'for the soul of the nation'to Burnham By Tony DiverandNickGutteridge KEMI BADENOCH haspledgedto fight for Conservative values as she prom- isedtaxcuts for middle-chass voters. Declaringher party is"coming back",Mrs Badenoch said a future Torygovernment would abolish inheritancetax(IHT)on family homes. Inan appeal to higher earners andthe wealthy,she vowed to build acountry "for every hard-workingperson out there"and to let workers"keepmore of what youearn". Speakingin Birminghamon the finalday of the Conservative Party confer-ence,Mrs Badenochmade14referencesto"fight"or "fhghting",saying the nextelection would bea"battle for the soulof this nation". Declaring she was "ready to fightfor our values",she said:"We are goingto win,not for ourselves,but for ourcountry.For every hard-workingperson.Foreveryone who wants to seecommon sense restored,for everyonewhowantstosee Britain workingagain.We are going to win for everyone whowants to see our great country united." In her 66-minute speech,whichreceived nine standing ovations,MrsBadenoch also attacked Reform UK.accusing the party of wanting to "takeus backwards",and said the LabourParty was "“addicted to welfare"and"drowning ourcountry in debt". Revealingher IHT pledge,Mrs Badenoch said that although she would onlyreducedeath dutieson family homes tobegin with,her“ambition is to abolishinheritance taxaltogetherassoonaswecan afford it".She said:"Governing isabout toughchoices.Conservatives willnot announce atax cut without tellingyou how we are going to pay for it” Under the Tories'IHT changes,MrsBadenoch said she would allowacoupleto leave Elmto their children tax-free,in addition to the valueof their home. The new system would mean thenumber of families paying the levywould fall by more than half,with allmain residences exempt from the taxand the threshold for other assetsincreased by E175,000.Inheritance taxis currently levied at 40 per cent onestates worth more than E500,000,though couples can combine their Andrewallies compare arrest topolicetreatment ofLord Brittan allowances to increase the threshold toElm.Frozen IHT thresholds mean thatby2030,about 9.5 per cent of estateswill attract a tax bill,up from about5percent last year. FromApril,the value ofanestate willalso include unused pension funds,threatening to drag more pensionerhouseholds into paying the tax. Inheritancetaxraised approximately 28.5bn last year and is expected tobring in E14.5bn by the start of the2030sbasedon the current system. Mrs Badenoch said inheritance taxwas "supposed to be atax on the superwealthy"but is"now a tax on ordinary.middle-classfamilies".The policy wouldcost L6bn,fundedbycuts tothewelfarebudget,which would be 36.1bn lessper year underthe Tories'plans. Mrs Badenoch attacked Reform and"fishy"NigelFarage,rulingout anypactbeforethe nextelection."To those whosay unite the Right,we are not unitingwith that,"shesaid. Declaring the startof a"fight that wehave not seen in this country for morethan half a century",Mrs Badenochaccused Andy Burnham of "reckless"spending and borrowing.BridgetPhillipson,the Labour chairman,said INSIDE Thatcherreborn Pages 4&5Allister Heath Page 16 Editorial Comment Page 17 the speech showed the Tories "haven't changed"and accused themof"prior itising the wealthiest". During their conference,the Torieshave announced they would repealLabour's mansion tax,which couldsoon apply to properties worth morethan 15m.MrsBadenoch alsopledgedto remove the childcare "cliff edge.under which couples lose access to freenursery hoursifone partnerearns morethan 100,000.Party bosses believethat by targeting wealthy Liberal Democrat voters in the south of England,they can restore their traditional basebefore attempting to supplant Reformas the most popular party on the Right. The latest polls show Labour ha

FAQs

What inheritance tax change does Kemi Badenoch promise?

She pledges that a future Tory government would abolish inheritance tax on family homes, with an initial step of reducing death duties on those homes.

How does Badenoch describe the purpose and target of inheritance tax?

She says inheritance tax is no longer just on the super-wealthy, framing it as a tax affecting ordinary middle-class families.

Which parties does Badenoch criticize in her speech?

She attacks Reform UK and accuses Labour of being “addicted to welfare” while also claiming Labour is drowning the country in debt.

Oct 8, 2026

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