Are we witnessing the slow and painful death of the Conservative Party under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership or has she only just started the fightback that will rid our country of this disastrous Labour government? As the Tory faithful gather in Manchester on Sunday for the start of their annual conference, Kemi has come out fighting with steely determination.

No offence Kemi, it is long overdue yet extremely welcome. Many political pundits have already written off the Conservative Party and with understandable reason. In the last year they have dropped in the political polls with one survey putting them fourth behind Labour, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats.

When a party led by Sir Ed Davey – a man who has become the ‘Frank Spencer of British Politics’ due to his stupid stunts – starts to beat you, the alarm bells should be deafening. But in her excellent interview with JJ Anisiobi who hosts the Daily Expresso – the Daily Express’s new podcast – we saw a side of the Tory leader not yet visible, and it should calm her critics.

For someone who can come across as cold and aloof, she exuded warmth with a sparkling personality. In answering questions from Daily Express readers and podcast viewers, she had a twinkle in her eye. It is a personality trait we rarely get to see in the chamber of the House of Commons and made her instantly more relatable.

She also took no prisoners when talking about her political rivals. In his Labour conference speech on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer only referred to the Conservatives once with the jibe: “Now, the Tories – do you remember them?”

And whilst it suits him to consign the Conservatives to the dustbin of political history, Kemi is best placed as leader of His Majesty’s Opposition to hold to account this government’s shocking economic track record that continues to halt growth and batter British businesses. And she showed she has the mettle.

When tackled about the rise of Reform UK she branded the party a “one man band” and made the point that if Nigel Farage were to walk away “everything falls apart”. Reform UK knows full well that one of their biggest challenges is to show the public that they are not just about one bloke and that there is additional talent in the party who can be trusted to safely run the country should they get into government.

Kemi also calls out Reform’s proposals to lift the two-child benefit cap and to renationalise the steel industry citing that all these things would cost billions of pounds and that economically Reform’s numbers do not stack up.

There is also a real sense that she is prepared to be a realist when it comes to the state of the nation’s finances in a way that other political parties are not. And whilst there is always a risk attached to any politician telling voters they need to stop spending beyond our means, those of us who have been around a bit have seen what happens when governments spend money they do not have. Kemi is right to tell people the truth.

On the issue of the small boats crossing the Channel, she makes it clear that if in government she would bring back the Rwanda Scheme that would see migrants illegally arriving in this country processed in that country. This deterrent was only scrapped by Labour for political reasons, and they are now reaping what they sowed as we have seen record numbers recently cross the English Channel daily.

In the past I have despaired in print and elsewhere about Kemi’s lack of action since she became Tory leader in November of last year, but her Daily Expresso interview revealed a Kemi who has it all to give. Financial backers of the Conservative Party clearly rate her with the most recent figures showing the Conservatives raking in £ 2.9million in donations compared to Labour raising £2.6million and Reform UK bringing in £1.35million.

So far, the smart money still backs the Conservative Party. The pressure is on Kemi Badenoch in Manchester next week to deliver a barnstorming speech as her party’s future really does depend on it. She must also rally her troops and communicate to the nation that she has a vision along with realistic solutions for the current and future challenges for the UK. It is a tall order.

But if the Kemi Badenoch we saw on the Daily Expresso is anything to go by, we would be foolish to write off her and the future of the Conservative Party. It is still all to play for.