Kemi Badenoch needs to make the speech of her life at Tory conference. She is facing a triple whammy of dire poll ratings, defections to Reform UK and demands to be more dynamic. Having spent a bit of face-to-face time with the Tory leader over the past few days, it is clear that she is well up for the fight.

Mrs Badenoch is positioning the Conservatives as the only party that can be trusted to get the public finances under control. Earlier this week, her party announced plans to deliver savings of £47billion, including ending benefit payments for foreigners and reducing the foreign aid budget. Instead of using the savings for a spending splurge, she will pledge to use at least half the cash to cut Britain’s deficit.

It’s a commitment that is sorely needed.

As a nation, we are borrowing too much, and the Government spends astronomical amounts servicing its debts.

Labour has no answer to this.

Sir Keir Starmer’s MPs won’t let him cut spending, which means his Government is forced to increase taxes instead.

This approach will saddle future generations with colossal burdens for decades to come.

Reform’s position is less clear.

Nigel Farage’s party has bold plans to reduce expenditure but also wants to push up the welfare bill, such as ending the two-child benefit cap.

Almost four years out from a general election, the economic battle lines are already being drawn.