Kemi Badenoch did not waste any time setting herself apart from Andy Burnham at her conference speech in Birmingham.

It was inevitable that comparisons were going to be made between her performance and the prime minister’s memorable appearance in Liverpool last week.

So, even before she spoke a word, it was made clear that she had no interest in imitation through the simple act of standing behind a lectern – unlike the free-roaming PM.

Then there was the opening line: ‘Conference, there is a fight coming in British politics.’

Burnham did not mention the Conservatives or Reform UK once in his Liverpool speech and strained to avoid a combative tone.

But that won’t do for Kemi Badenoch – the Conservative leader is an indefatigable political pugilist and thrives most when she is launching scathing put-downs at her opponents and their policies.

True to form, there was plenty of that in today’s closing address. She described Burnham as a ‘Paddington Bear prime minister’, a line that may just stick for people who see him as too eager to please.

And in a particularly powerful moment, she took direct aim at Reform UK over the stance of top figures – including Suella Braverman – that people descended from immigrants cannot call themselves English.

She told attendees: ‘I don’t want to explain to my son when we’re watching our brilliant England team play football that some people don’t think our black players are English.

‘I remember back in the day when Ian Wright and John Barnes were playing, nobody was questioning whether they were English.

‘We certainly didn’t have sitting MPs questioning whether they were English. We must not let these people take us backwards.’

Badenoch’s big flourish was pledging to scrap inheritance tax on family homes, the final part of a tax-cut trilogy (along with the previously announced end of stamp duty and mansion tax) that could appeal to younger voters on the house hunt.

Ahead of setting out the plan, she said ‘everybody’s been asking’ about her plans for the levy in recent days.

However, that’s not the only thing everyone’s been asking her about.

Despite the positive mood at Birmingham’s ICC this year, the Tories are currently in quite a sticky situation.

While Badenoch’s approval rating has grown impressively over the past year, that (relative) popularity is not translating to the party as a whole.

You might imagine that the Conservatives would be a beneficiary of Reform’s gradual fall in support since last autumn, but you’d be wrong – their poll numbers have barely changed, and remain below where they were at the time of their 2024 general election rout.

There has been some mixed messaging over whether they want Andy Burnham to call an election as soon as possible.

First, there was the ‘Bottler Burnham’ water bottle handed out in the media room, a reference to the PM’s decision not to announce a snap vote after entering Downing Street.

Then, party chairman Kevin Hollinrake told an event held by pollster More in Common that the Tories ‘don’t want an election right now ideally’ because ‘we are not where we need to be right now’.

But in today’s speech, Badenoch told the room: ‘We are ready for an election whenever it is called.’

You can see why they’re unsure. A vote now would mean Badenoch’s only hope of entering No 10 would be through a deal with Reform UK – something she appears to have ruled out.

Her solution to this, as she explained in broadcast interviews yesterday, would be to call for another election straight away if a hung parliament was the result. Would the public really be up for that?

For now, the Tories’ destiny doesn’t seem to lie in their hands. Future success will rely on Reform failing to get its act together, despite its £72 million funding windfall.

Badenoch may have succeeded in showing she’s not interested in mimicking Andy Burnham’s style, but she will have a tougher job proving she is able to beat him.

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