9 min read1 hr Kemi Badenoch is more popular than her party. Harriet Symonds reports on her efforts to remake it in her image – and what her colleagues really think of that endeavour. Illustrations by Tracy Worrall What is the point of the Conservative Party? After a rocky start, Kemi Badenoch is increasingly confident she can sell an answer – the point of the Conservative Party it is to do what Kemi Badenoch thinks is right. Pushed into third place in the polls behind Reform UK until recently and leaking voters left and right, the Tories are a long way from power but it is Badenoch, not Nigel Farage, that appears more secure. She heads into her second conference as leader after a sweeping reshuffle. Among the boldest moves was to replace Mel Stride with Andrew Griffith, a former ally of Liz Truss, as shadow chancellor. The appointment shows the self-confidence of a leader determined not to be bullied by opponents and to reclaim some of Truss’ economic agenda of …