BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Renewal, rebuilding or just being more optimistic - all four contenders to lead Britain's Conservative Party promised change in back-to-back speeches on Wednesday to convince lawmakers and members to back them.
After their worst-ever election result to Labour in July, the Conservatives have been reflecting both on how they lost so badly and on how to rebuild Britain's most successful party, governing alone or in coalition for much of the past 200 years.
At the party's annual conference in the central English city of Birmingham, the four leadership hopefuls - former ministers Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat - took to the stage to say the future lay with them.
The new Conservative leader will be announced on Nov. 2 to replace former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
All four said they could lead the Conservatives to victory at the next national election, which must be held by mid-2029. While some, such as Jenrick, offered concrete policies, all four offered an optimistic view of the future after the July defeat.
The loudest applause was for right-wing former trade minister Badenoch and the more centrist former foreign and interior minister Cleverly.
"Some people say I like a fight ... but it's not true ... I don't fight for the sake of fighting but I do fight for you," said Badenoch, known for her attacks on what she calls identity politics.
She said the party could win only by returning to what she described as conservative first principles, "and the time to start that renewal is right now".
Cleverly said the party needed to look to the future.
"Let's be enthusiastic, relatable, positive, optimistic. Let's be more normal," he said.
UPBEAT CONFERENCE
Jenrick, who offered five "stands" upon which he would rest his leadership, referred repeatedly to the "cast in iron" principles that would shape his approach to difficult policies such as immigration.
Tugendhat, a former soldier, said that because of his army service he was equipped to make the tough decisions to "rebuild the Conservative Party".
"My mission is to win the next general election and I have never failed a mission yet," he said.
At their surprisingly upbeat conference, Conservative members have watched what has become something of a "beauty pageant" by the contenders in the leadership race, in which bookmakers make Jenrick the favourite.
Alan Lamb, a councillor in the northern city of Leeds, said it was clear the audience most supported Cleverly and Badenoch.
"Cleverly looks and sounds like the person who is most ready to be prime minister, while Kemi would most represent change," said Lamb, who has yet to decide who to vote for.
(Editing by Timothy Heritage)
By Elizabeth Piper and Andrew MacAskill
