Tories only party with a plan, says Badenoch as she launches election campaign

The Conservatives are "the only party with a plan", Kemi Badenoch has said as she launched her party's local election campaign.

On 7 May, voters will go to the polls in 136 of the 317 local councils in England.

Speaking at a rally in London, Badenoch said people would face a choice between parties "whingeing on" or the Conservatives who are "a party that can actually fix things".

She said the Conservatives would cut the welfare bill, reduce business rates and hire 10,000 extra police officers.

The Conservatives have struggled in the national opinion polls since the 2024 general election but Badenoch said her party was "coming back".

Addressing supporters, she accused other parties of failing to "do the work" to solve the country's problems and that the Conservatives had the "courage, the competence and the team" to "get Britain working again".

She warned that "not everyone" would like their plans but added: "That's ok."

"We are no longer going to try to please everyone all the time.

"We have learned many lessons. We have acknowledged and apologised for mistakes that were made on tax, on immigration, but we cannot leave our councils and our country in the hands of third-rate people who do not know what they are doing."

The Conservatives are going into the local elections promising to exempt retail, hospitality and leisure firms in England from the business rates tax, up to an annual limit of £110,000 per year.

Badenoch also spoke about her party's wider policies which they would only be able to implement if they won a general election.

On policing, Badenoch said she would put £800m into recruiting 10,000 new officers and promised to "tell them their job is to catch criminals".

"I've got a message for shoplifters, phone thieves, violent thugs your days of getting off scot-free are numbered," she added.

Around 5,000 council seats will be up for election in 136 councils on 7 May.

Councillors are responsible for local services including providing social care and rubbish collections.

Ministers had initially granted 30 councils to postpone their elections, in order to deliver a major reorganisation of local government.

On 7 May, there will also be elections for representatives in the national parliaments of Scotland and Wales as well as mayors in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.