I was in the room for Kemi Badenoch’s brutal takedown of Rachel Reeves – 1 thing struck me

When Kemi Badenoch flashes a beaming grin and senior Tories cheer, you know you have hit the right note.

In this case, it was a duff note – Rachel Reeves to be precise, the lame duck Chancellor who is clinging on to her job by her fingernails.

Delivering her first big speech of 2025, Mrs Badenoch said she would back the Prime Minister if he made the “right decisions”.

And the Tory leader couldn’t help herself when asked, moments later by the Daily Express, if that means she would back the Prime Minister if he gave Reeves the boot.

Wearing striking Tory blue, the Opposition leader said she would, tearing strips off the Chancellor for making a complete horlicks of the economy.

She even took a swipe at Reeves for bragging about being the first female to hold the position.

Punchy stuff from the Conservative leader who was speaking 50 years after one of her political idols and predecessor, Margaret Thatcher, launched her bid to head the party.

In her speech Mrs Badenoch, who has been in the job for just 10 weeks, laid out “mistakes” her party made when in government, including on , immigration, and net zero.

Speaking at the grand Pall Mall home of the Institute of Directors, she promised to be “honest” with the country.

She is right to acknowledge the mistakes made by her party during its 14 years in power.

But with Labour floundering badly after just six months in power, there is a growing hunger for the to provide an alternative.

If she and her party fail to step up, then a certain and his Reform UK will fill the void.

It’s evident that Mrs Badenoch is still finding her feet, but she was unequivocal when swatting away questions about his looming threat.

Five decades on from the Iron Lady’s remarkable leadership journey, the 21st-century version is rebuilding Tory party for the battles that lie ahead.

It would appear she is up for the fight.