“Reform is a party that wants to spend more on welfare. We know there’s some Conservatives who agree with those policies, on increased welfare, on nationalisation and if that’s what they think is right for them, then we’re sorry to lose them. But we need to make it very clear that we are the party of fiscal responsibility.”

She added: “Just last year, we had MPs jumping to Labour because Labour was doing well in the polls. They’re not doing so well now.

“There are some people who will leave because all they want to do is win elections. They don’t know what they’re winning the elections for.

“We are making it very clear what we are doing this for. It is for the people of the United Kingdom. We want to give them a stronger economy. We want to give them stronger borders.

“We’re the only party tough enough and competent enough to do both. It’s going to be a long journey back from a historic defeat and on very long, difficult journeys you will lose some people on the way. But if these people cannot stick with us because opposition is difficult, then they’re not going to be able to stick with us when government gets difficult.”

Mrs Badenoch also once again ruled out working with Reform in order to oust Labour at the next general election.

Asked about calls by ex-Tory MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg not to “split the right”, she told Times Radio: “I’m not splitting the right. There is no deal to be done with Reform.

“They want to increase welfare. This conference is about living within our means. That’s how we get a stronger economy. They want to nationalise.

“What kind of alliance are we having with them?

“The only thing that they have in common with us, really, is around immigration. We know that we need stronger borders, but we’ve got a plan that will work.

“Their plan, which was copied from some announcements, I think, that we made previously – they hadn’t done the details behind it.”