A bull fight in Brum, or an upbeat conference?

Isobel Ballsdon and Kelham Cooke were in Birmingham this week, representing the Meeting Place team at the Conservative’s first conference in opposition for 14 years.
Whilst the news agenda focused on the leadership contenders’ pitch to the Party, the road back to power won’t be about words—it’s about action on the issues that matter most, starting with housing. Read the key takeaways from Isobel and Kelham to find out what the impact of the conference could mean for the sector and the route ahead.
Kelham Cooke, Account Manager, Eastern writes:
Surprisingly upbeat in opposition
For the first time in 14 years, the party finds itself in opposition, and I might have expected the conference to feel downbeat. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how upbeat and energised attendees were, with the four leadership candidates’ teams marching from one event to the next, seeking to attract members to their campaigns. The range of candidate merchandise is also something we have never seen before at a Conservative Conference!
Addressing the youth disconnect
It was a privilege to speak on panels relating to housing and renewable energy with Solar Energy UK, which provided an invaluable opportunity to reflect on one of the critical challenges facing the Conservatives—why they are losing younger voters.
It is increasingly clear that unless the party adopts a more proactive YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) stance on housing and development, it will continue to struggle to connect with this vital demographic. Homeownership is not just a policy issue; it represents stability, independence, and an investment in the future—values the Conservative Party has long championed. Yet, the previous Government’s failure to reform planning laws, increase the housing supply and support affordable housing has alienated many younger voters, who feel locked out of the property market and, by extension, from the opportunities the party should represent.
Learning from missed opportunities
This year’s slogan—“Review and Renew”—is a timely reminder that the party must not only articulate its plans for the future but also honestly reflect on the past 14 years. While MPs and shadow ministers are now speaking passionately about what should have been done, they must confront the fact that they had the opportunity to address long-standing issues around planning, development, and housing affordability but chose not to. Whoever wins the leadership election must learn from these missed opportunities. Only through genuine reflection and a commitment to bold, immediate action on housing can the party rebuild trust with younger voters and ensure that its policies align with the aspirational message it seeks to convey.
Isobel Ballsdon, Account Director, South East writes:
The atmosphere was upbeat, with much excitement surrounding the four leadership candidates’ beauty parade. All four of them acknowledged the need for more housing as a means to appeal to younger voters. James Cleverly notably announced his intention to scrap stamp duty. However, Kemi Badenoch said policy solutions would come later.
Conference was reflective on what the party had got wrong. Being out of government freed up MPs to vocalise their criticisms publicly, which made for frank and interesting debates.
At a Spectator fringe, former Housing Minister Kit Malthouse aired his frustrations at Michael Gove for having done away with housing targets. Malthouse wants to get rid of viability tests, instigate a requirement for 10-year housing land supplies, as well as to introduce fines for underperformance.
Gove, in whom I’d had high hopes for turning around planning in the last government given his track record of success with education and the environment, admitted mistakes, one of which was failing to progress work on helping people to downsize and for quantitative easing having gone on for too long.
Now editor of The Spectator, I’ll be looking out for a supplement on how to revive the housing market that Gove pledged to produce. It will have contributions from economist Liam Halligan (Telegraph), Malthouse, Nick Potter (Santander), as well as Kate Andrews (Spectator) and himself, so should be an excellent read!