Tories accused of favouring wealthy voters as Badenoch unveils inheritance tax cut plan

UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has announced that her party would abolish inheritance tax on family homes if elected, a proposal that has drawn immediate criticism from opponents who accuse the party of prioritising tax cuts for wealthier voters.

Under the plan outlined by Badenoch, couples would also be able to leave behind an additional £1m tax-free to their families, in what the party has framed as an effort to ease the tax burden on family estates passed between generations.

The announcement forms part of a broader push by the Conservatives to shore up support among their traditional base in southern England, where affluent middle-class voters have been a key target of the party's messaging.

In her conference speech, Badenoch also rejected calls from some within the party to "unite the right," a reference to suggestions that the Conservatives should seek closer alignment with other right-leaning parties rather than compete separately for similar voters.

Critics have argued that abolishing inheritance tax on family homes would disproportionately benefit wealthier households with higher-value properties, while the Conservatives maintain the policy would help families retain assets built up over generations.