Political opinion with Cllr Zak Ali: A new direction, a clear plan and a renewed Conservative Party

This year's Conservative Party Conference was an important moment for our party. It was an opportunity to show the country what we stand for, what we have learned and, most importantly, what we would do differently.

I left Birmingham encouraged by the clear direction Kemi Badenoch has set out. Her message was that Britain needs a stronger economy, a stronger country and a government prepared to make difficult decisions.

That message matters because people are tired of politicians who promise everything without explaining how they will pay for it.

Families in Crawley know that money does not grow on trees. They balance their household budgets, work hard to provide for their children and make difficult choices when times are tough. They are entitled to expect the same discipline from the people running the country.

At Conference, Kemi set out how a future Conservative government would approach those choices.

At the heart of the programme is a plan to save £71 billion through welfare reform, a smaller government and reductions in public spending. Under the Conservatives' Golden Economic Rule, half of those planned savings would go towards reducing the deficit.

The principle is straightforward. Before politicians promise tax cuts or new spending, they must explain where the money will come from.

That is the approach I believe Britain needs.

The Conservatives also announced plans to abolish inheritance tax on the family home, building on the existing pledge to scrap Stamp Duty on family homes. For many people in Crawley, their home is the biggest investment they will ever make. It represents years of saving, working and paying the mortgage. The Conservative argument is that families should be able to pass on more of what they have built, rather than face another tax when a loved one dies.

Scrapping Stamp Duty would also remove a significant cost when people move. It could help young couples buy their first home, growing families find somewhere bigger and older residents downsize when the time is right.

Housing is one of the biggest concerns I hear about locally. Young people want the chance to own a home, but too many feel that the goal is slipping further away.

That is why I also welcomed the proposals to simplify planning rules and reduce the cost of building new homes. The Conservatives believe these changes could lower the price of some new homes by up to £50,000. That is an ambitious claim, and the detail will matter, but the aim of making homeownership more affordable is one I strongly support.

Conference also placed jobs and opportunity at the centre of the economic plan.

One announcement that stood out was the proposal to halve Employer National Insurance for workers aged 21 to 24, reducing the rate from 15 per cent to 7.5 per cent on qualifying earnings.

This is especially relevant to Crawley.

Our town is home to Gatwick Airport, Manor Royal, hundreds of small businesses and employers across retail, hospitality and the service industries. These businesses provide jobs, training and opportunities for people starting their careers.

But taking on a new employee costs money. The Conservative proposal is designed to make hiring young workers more affordable and help more of them get their first step on the career ladder.

I want Crawley to be a town where young people can build a future. That means access to good jobs, training, apprenticeships and the chance to earn a decent living.

It also means recognising that businesses create those opportunities. Government should help them grow, not place unnecessary obstacles in their way.

That is why the wider Conservative plan includes simplifying the tax system, reviewing burdens on employers and reforming welfare so that people who can work are supported into employment.

The new Get to Work programme announced at Conference is part of that approach. It would change the support available to young people leaving education without a job or apprenticeship, with a stronger focus on helping them into work.

These are significant proposals that deserve proper scrutiny. But they also show the direction Kemi wants to take: towards an economy that rewards work, supports enterprise and encourages ambition.

I was also pleased to see aviation feature prominently at Conference.

The Conservatives confirmed support for a third runway at Heathrow and announced proposals to strengthen transport skills, including an Aviation Skills Fund. They also committed to reviewing airport drop-off charges.

For Crawley, aviation is not an abstract national issue. It is central to our local economy.

Gatwick supports jobs directly and through the many businesses that supply and serve the airport. Decisions about aviation, investment, skills and transport affect livelihoods across our town.

We need national policies that recognise the value of this industry and help it compete internationally.

But a stronger economy is only one part of Kemi's programme.

Conference also addressed the need for a stronger country, with proposals to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, develop a new missile and drone defence system known as the Britannia Shield, and expand prison capacity.

In an uncertain world, national security cannot be taken for granted. Nor can public confidence in the justice system.

People want to know that the country can defend itself, that the law will be enforced and that those who commit serious crimes will face consequences.

These are fundamental responsibilities of government.

Kemi also published The Right Way, setting out the principles she believes should guide the Conservative Party.

One principle particularly resonated with me: wealth must be created before it can be distributed.

That is not a complicated economic theory. It is common sense.

Businesses must be able to succeed if they are to employ people and pay taxes. Workers must have opportunities to earn and save. And government must use public money responsibly.

Another principle is that freedom comes with responsibility. A strong society depends not only on rights but also on people contributing, respecting the law and taking responsibility for their actions.

Those values are familiar to families across Crawley. They are the values of hard work, fairness, aspiration and community.

Of course, the Conservatives must do more than announce policies at Conference. We must show how they would work, demonstrate that they can be delivered and listen to people who have concerns.

We must also be willing to acknowledge where our party got things wrong in the past.

Rebuilding trust takes time. It cannot be achieved through one speech or one successful Conference.

But it begins with being clear about what we believe and putting forward a serious programme for the country.

That is what I believe Kemi Badenoch has started to do.

Labour has its own approach to the economy, public spending and public services. The Conservatives are offering a different set of choices: lower taxes funded by spending reductions, welfare reform, fewer barriers to business and a stronger emphasis on personal responsibility.

Those differences matter. Voters deserve to understand them and judge which approach will best serve the country.

For Crawley, the questions are practical ones.

Will our young people have better opportunities to find work and buy a home? Will our businesses have the confidence to invest and recruit? Will our aviation industry continue to thrive? Will families be able to keep more of the money they earn and save?

These are the tests by which any government's plans should be judged.

I believe Kemi's Conference announcements offer a serious Conservative answer.

The next task is to turn those announcements into detailed, credible proposals and make the case for them in communities across the country.

That is the work I will continue doing here in Crawley.

Because a stronger country is not built through speeches alone. It is built by backing the people who work hard, raise families, start businesses, create jobs and contribute to their communities.

Kemi Badenoch has set out her plan for a stronger country and a stronger economy. Now we must show people in Crawley how that plan could make a difference to their lives.