The Conservatives are "up for the fight", Kemi Badenoch said as she kicked off the party's annual conference in Manchester.Breaking with tradition and delivering a welcome speech at the start of the conference on Sunday, Mrs Badenoch acknowledged the Conservatives had "a mountain to climb" as the party languished third in the polls behind Reform UK and Labour.

The Conservatives are "up for the fight", Kemi Badenoch said as she kicked off the party's annual conference in Manchester.Breaking with tradition and delivering a welcome speech at the start of the conference on Sunday, Mrs Badenoch acknowledged the Conservatives had "a mountain to climb" as the party languished third in the polls behind Reform UK and Labour.