UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemns racist personal attacks, dismissing DEI claims, while the party struggles and Reform UK gains traction.
As reported by The Standard, Kemi Badenoch hit back at critics, claiming she became Tory leader due to her ethnicity, calling the attacks “hysterical.”
What did Kemi Badenoch say about criticism over her race?
Kemi Badenoch said some criticism focused on her race and ethnicity, claiming she couldn’t have achieved this on her own.
During an interview, she said some believed her role was earned through DEI initiatives, adding,
“There’s a certain cadre of people who clearly can’t cope with the fact that I won this and I’m doing it. The level of personal attacks from anonymous people it’s hysterical.”
She stated,
“Not even just from MPs. I actually don’t think it’s that many MPs. I think it’s two to three people out of 120. That’s nothing. But online as well.”
Ms Badenoch said,
“People used to talk about Trump derangement syndrome. I think there’s a Kemi derangement syndrome – ‘How could she possibly have done this? It must have been DEI.’”
She stated that on social media,
“there’s a lot of ethno-nationalism creeping up, lots of stuff about my race and my ethnicity and the tropes around, ‘well, she couldn’t possibly have done this all by herself.’”
The Tory leader dismissed claims of laziness and tardiness, saying,
“They will try and use the tropes about black people – that they’re lazy, they’re corrupt or they’re all DEI hires – and it’s something which I find extraordinary because I take everyone at face value.”
What did Kemi Badenoch say about Robert Jenrick supporters and ‘sore losers’?
Conservative leader Badenoch criticises Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick’s supporters, calling them “sore losers.”
After losing to Ms Badenoch in last year’s leadership contest, Mr Jenrick built support online with social media content, highlighting English flags and fare dodgers.
She denied her potential ousting as “wishful thinking” and claimed Mr Jenrick was “distressed” by the developments.
She stated,
“There will always be people who are sore losers, our candidate didn’t win and so on, and sour grapes. When I hear those things, I can tell those people are not focused on the country at all. Many of those people who have those conversations think this is a game. But the lives of people in this country aren’t a game.”
Ms Badenoch added,
“I think even Rob himself finds it distressing, but it’s just something that we deal with.”
What did Kemi Badenoch say about Tory struggles and rising rivals?
Kemi Badenoch struggles to boost party support amid rising Reform UK and Labour, saying the task is tougher than past opposition leaders faced.
She said,
“There are now more people competing for that oxygen of attacking the Government.”
Ms Badenoch stated people are “angry because of things that Labour is doing” and “they are angry because they think that we left the country in a bad state,” adding, “I think people are legitimate in that anger.”
She warned that reviving the party is tougher than William Hague faced after the 1997 Labour landslide, citing
“We’ve got fewer MPs, and we’ve got this new problem with Reform taking a lot of our votes.”
The Tory leader admitted the challenge was difficult but insisted the party must remain a political force.
She called Reform UK leader Nigel Farage a “bullshit artist,” saying his party aims only to dismantle and destroy.
What did Kemi Badenoch say about councils removing St George’s Cross flags?
The Tory leader criticised councils for removing St George’s Cross flags, claiming the rules were applied “selectively” and describing it as “shameful.”
She said,
“After years of politicisation by those who seek to diminish England’s culture and Christian heritage, it is encouraging to see English flags flown proudly as symbols of unity, nationhood and optimism.”
Ms Badenoch added,
“So, it is shameful that some councils have scrambled to remove them at the first opportunity, even in the lead-up to VJ Day, while leaving banners of other nations and political causes untouched. This is not about by laws or policy. Councils will say they are enforcing local rules, but the point is they apply those rules selectively.”
What did the YouGov survey reveal about Reform UK’s surge and Labour’s decline?
A new YouGov poll shows Reform UK could lead the UK vote, with Nigel Farage in line for prime minister.
The survey predicts Labour could collapse from 403 to 178 seats, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s popularity hit by policy U-turns.
The YouGov poll revealed that cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Work and Pensions Secretary Lisa Nandy, Defence Secretary John Healy, and Pat McFadden, would all lose their seats.
What did Luke Tryl say about Nigel Farage’s chances of becoming PM?
Luke Tryl, the executive director of More in Common UK, stated,
“Only 13 per cent of Britons are confident Keir Starmer will remain in post after the next election, while a striking 41 per cent say they simply don’t know what the next elected government will look like.”
He added,
“In fact, the public rate Nigel Farage’s chances of becoming prime minister as highly as those of the current PM, with Reform voters particularly convinced their man will be walking into Downing Street.”