Conservatives trust local leadership
This year’s Conservative Party Conference set out a clear message: stability, delivery and trust in local leadership will drive our country forward.
Councils are at the heart of that ambition. Every day, they shape the communities people call home – leading growth, supporting families, and delivering essential services.
Councillors know their areas best, and their leadership will be key to restoring confidence and opportunity across the country.
At conference, we set out a plan built on partnership and purpose – one that gives councils the stability and freedom they need to deliver.
First, we announced that a future Conservative government will abolish stamp duty on primary residences.
For too long, this tax has stood in the way of aspiration and mobility. Removing it entirely for people buying their main home will help families move more easily, unlock housing supply and support first-time buyers.
Second, we will end the use of asylum hotels once and for all.
Councils know the strain this places on local services – from education and health to social care and community cohesion.
When I was Home Secretary, we halved the number of asylum hotels because the principle was clear: hotels are not the right place for asylum seekers, and they are not fair on the towns that host them.
Ending their use will save £3.5 billion and ease the pressure on local authorities.
“Councillors know their areas best, and their leadership will be key to restoring confidence and opportunity across the country”
Third, we will abolish business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure. Around 250,000 businesses will benefit – allowing them to reinvest in better premises, more staff and lower prices.
Thriving local businesses mean stronger local economies, more resilient high streets and greater community pride.
Councils play a key role in creating the conditions for that success through planning, regeneration and leadership.
Running through all these policies is a simple principle: we trust local government.
Councils don’t need more Whitehall control or endless restructuring. They need stability, flexibility and a fair deal that allows them to plan.
True devolution should be built on partnership and consent – empowering local leaders to take the right decisions for their areas.
Across the country, councillors work tirelessly to make their communities better places to live, often in the face of financial and operational pressures.
That public service deserves a government that treats local authorities as trusted partners in delivery, not as problems to be managed.
The Conservatives have set out a clear alternative: stability, fairness and trust in local leadership.
We will give councils the certainty and freedom they need to plan, rebuild pride in place, and strengthen the services that residents rely on.
Local government will be central to the country’s renewal – and together we can restore confidence, opportunity and hope in every community.