There's no question that Kemi Badenoch's on the ropes after a low-energy first year as leader that has seen the Conservative Party slide backwards by pretty much every metric.

But on Wednesday, the embattled leader came out swinging with a show-stopping pledge to scrap stamp duty , which left the hall delirious. "I thought you'd like that one," she said with a laugh as party members cheered her on.

A genuine surprise announcement - many in the shadow cabinet weren't even told - it gave the Conservatives and their leader a much-needed lift after what many have dubbed the lost year.

Politics latest: Stamp duty to be axed under Tories

Image: Ms Badenoch with her husband, Hamish. Pic: PA

Ms Badenoch tried to answer that criticism this week with a policy blitz, headlined by her

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