{{Short description|British politician (born 1980)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Use British English|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | image = Official portrait of Kemi Badenoch MP, 2024 (3x4 cropped).jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | alt = Head and shoulders portrait photograph of Badenoch crossing her arms | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}} | office = Leader of the Opposition | monarch = Charles III | prime_minister = Keir Starmer | term_start = 2 November 2024 | term_end = | predecessor = Rishi Sunak | office1 = Leader of the Conservative Party | deputy1 = | term_start1 = 2 November 2024 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Rishi Sunak {{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Ministerial positions | titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey; }} {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office3 = Secretary of State for Business and Trade | prime_minister3 = Rishi Sunak | term_start3 = 7 February 2023 | term_end3 = 5 July 2024 | predecessor3 = Grant Shapps{{efn|As Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.}} | successor3 = Jonathan Reynolds | office4 = President of the Board of Trade | prime_minister4 = Liz Truss<br />Rishi Sunak | term_start4 = 6 September 2022 | term_end4 = 5 July 2024 | predecessor4 = Anne-Marie Trevelyan | successor4 = Jonathan Reynolds | office5 = Minister for Women and Equalities | prime_minister5 = Rishi Sunak | term_start5 = 26 October 2022 | term_end5 = 5 July 2024 | predecessor5 = Nadhim Zahawi{{efn|As Minister for Equalities.}} | successor5 = Bridget Phillipson | office6 = Secretary of State for International Trade | prime_minister6 = Liz Truss<br />Rishi Sunak | term_start6 = 6 September 2022 | term_end6 = 7 February 2023 | predecessor6 = Anne-Marie Trevelyan | successor6 = ''Office abolished'' {{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} {{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Junior ministerial offices | titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey; }} {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office1 = Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities | prime_minister1 = Boris Johnson | term_start1 = 16 September 2021 | term_end1 = 6 July 2022 | predecessor1 = Luke Hall | successor1 = Paul Scully | office2 = Minister of State for Equalities{{efn|As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State from 2020 to September 2021.}} | prime_minister2 = Boris Johnson | term_start2 = 14 February 2020 | term_end2 = 6 July 2022 | predecessor2 = The Baroness Williams of Trafford | successor2 = Amanda Solloway | office3 = Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury | prime_minister3 = Boris Johnson | term_start3 = 13 February 2020 | term_end3 = 16 September 2021 | predecessor3 = Simon Clarke | successor3 = Helen Whately | office4 = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families | prime_minister4 = Boris Johnson | term_start4 = 27 July 2019 | term_end4 = 13 February 2020{{efn|Michelle Donelan was appointed on 4 September 2019 as an additional Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families to cover the portfolio during Badenoch's maternity leave.}} | predecessor4 = Nadhim Zahawi | successor4 = Vicky Ford {{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} {{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Shadow Cabinet posts|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}} {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office2 = Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | leader2 = Rishi Sunak | term_start2 = 8 July 2024 | term_end2 = 2 November 2024 | predecessor2 = Angela Rayner | successor2 = Kevin Hollinrake {{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} | office7 = Member of Parliament<br />for North West Essex<br />{{nobold|Saffron Walden (2017–2024)}} | term_start7 = 8 June 2017 | term_end7 = | majority7 = 2,610 (4.8%) | predecessor7 = Alan Haselhurst | successor7 = | office8 = Member of the London Assembly | constituency8 = 9th Additional Member<br>(2015–2016)<br>4th Additional Member<br>(2016–2017) | term_start8 = 16 September 2015 | term_end8 = 8 June 2017 | predecessor8 = Victoria Borwick | successor8 = Susan Hall | birth_name = Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|1|2|df=y}} | birth_place = Wimbledon, London, England | death_date = | death_place = | party = Conservative | spouse = {{Marriage|Hamish Badenoch|September 2012}} | children = 3 | relatives = Yemi Osinbajo (first cousin once removed) | education = International School of Lagos<br>Phoenix College | alma_mater = University of Sussex (MEng)<br>Birkbeck, University of London (LLB) | occupation = {{Hlist|Politician|consultant|software engineer}} | website = {{URL|kemibadenoch.org.uk}} | signature = Kemi Badenoch signature.svg | module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Kemi Badenoch debates socialism vs capitalism.ogg|title=Kemi Badenoch's voice|type=speech|description=Badenoch speaks in a debate on socialism versus capitalism.<br />Recorded 28 May 2018}} | name = Kemi Badenoch }}
'''Olukemi Olufunto''' "'''Kemi'''" '''Adegoke Badenoch'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɛ|m|i|_|ˈ|b|eɪ|d|ə|n|ɒ|k}} {{Respell|KEM|ee|_|BAY|də|nok}};<ref>{{cite web |title=Pupil Parliament: Kemi Badenoch MP reacts to New Hall School, Chelmsford |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMTEqFEBqpE |author=UK Parliament |publisher=YouTube |date=29 May 2018 |access-date=31 December 2020 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708235023/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMTEqFEBqpE |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hamish">{{Cite news |last=Badenoch |first=Hamish |date=23 July 2022 |title=My life as a political spouse |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/my-life-as-a-political-spouse/ |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=The Spectator |archive-date=21 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721075035/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/my-life-as-a-political-spouse/|url-status=live}}</ref> her surname comes from the Scottish district of Badenoch, which is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|d|ə|n|ɒ|x}} {{respell|BAD|ə|nokh}}.<ref name="Hamish" /><ref>{{cite book|title=BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names|date=1990|editor-last=Pointon|editor-first=Graham|edition=2nd|location=Oxford|publisher=The University Press|isbn=0-19-282745-6|url=https://archive.org/details/bbcpronouncingdi00gepo}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ivens |first=Martin |date=4 November 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch Offers the Tory Party a Shot at Redemption |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-11-04/kemi-badenoch-offers-the-tory-party-a-shot-at-redemption |quote=On Saturday the Tories elected their first Black leader, '''Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch'''. |website=Bloomberg |archive-date=24 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251024180839/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-11-04/kemi-badenoch-offers-the-tory-party-a-shot-at-redemption |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-trans-debate-supreme-court-ruling-reform-b1223953.html | title=Kemi Badenoch on Reform, trans wars, and the mountain the Tories need to climb | date=25 April 2025 |archive-date=24 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424111059/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-trans-debate-supreme-court-ruling-reform-b1223953.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-symbol-changed-conservative-tory-party-profile-fnwp9b29f | title=Kemi Badenoch, symbol of a changing Conservative party and country | date=2 November 2024 |newspaper=The Times |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102153349/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-symbol-changed-conservative-tory-party-profile-fnwp9b29f |url-status=live}}</ref> ({{nee|'''Adegoke'''}}; born 2 January 1980)<ref>{{cite book |last=Brunskill |first=Ian |title=The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019: the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election |date=19 March 2020 |pages=319 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers Limited |isbn=978-0-00-839258-1 |oclc=1129682574 }}</ref> is a British politician who has been serving as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party since November 2024. Badenoch previously worked in the Cabinet for prime ministers Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak from 2022 to 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cecil |first=Nicholas |date=2 November 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch becomes Tory leader following win over Robert Jenrick |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-tory-leader-elected-robert-jenrick-rishi-sunak-b1191529.html |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=The Standard |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102131046/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-tory-leader-elected-robert-jenrick-rishi-sunak-b1191529.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Essex, previously Saffron Walden, in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Coyle |first=Simon |date=4 July 2024 |title=North West Essex general election 2024 results in full |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/north-west-essex-general-election-29336292 |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=Manchester Evening News |issn=0962-2276 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705012744/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/north-west-essex-general-election-29336292|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2012, Badenoch unsuccessfully contested a seat in the London Assembly, but became a member of the London Assembly after Victoria Borwick was elected as an MP in 2015. A supporter of Brexit in the 2016 referendum, Badenoch was elected to the House of Commons at the 2017 general election.
After Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in July 2019, Badenoch was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families. In the February 2020 reshuffle she was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities. In September 2021, she was promoted to Minister of State for Equalities and appointed Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities.
In July 2022, Badenoch resigned from government in protest at Johnson's leadership; she stood unsuccessfully to replace him in the July–September 2022 party leadership election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Brendan |date=8 July 2022 |title=Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch announces Tory leadership bid |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/former-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-announced-tory-leadership-bid-1733814 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233909/https://inews.co.uk/news/former-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-announced-tory-leadership-bid-1733814 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 July 2022 |title=Conservative leadership latest: Badenoch out as Sunak wins fourth Tory vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62216697 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719141713/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62216697 |archive-date=19 July 2022 |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=BBC News |language=en-gb}}</ref> After Liz Truss was appointed prime minister in September 2022, Badenoch was appointed Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade and was appointed to the Privy Council;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tilbrook |first=Richard |date=13 September 2022 |title=Orders Approved and Business Transacted at ahe Privy Council Held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 13th September 2022 |pages=2 |work=The List of Business |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-09-13-The-List-of-Business.pdf |access-date=13 September 2022 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> she was reappointed Trade Secretary by Truss's successor, Rishi Sunak, the following month, also becoming Minister for Women and Equalities.
In the February 2023 Cabinet reshuffle, Badenoch assumed the position of Secretary of State for Business and Trade following the merging of the Department for International Trade with elements of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Badenoch retained the responsibilities of Women and Equalities Minister.<ref name="Feb 23 Appointment">{{cite web |last=Nevett |first=Joshua |date=7 February 2023 |title=Sunak reshuffle: Shapps named energy secretary in department shake-up |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64552127 |access-date=7 February 2023 |website=BBC News |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207121756/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64552127|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the Conservatives' defeat in the 2024 general election, Badenoch was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in Sunak's Shadow Cabinet and later launched her bid to become leader of the Conservative Party in the 2024 leadership election. She defeated Robert Jenrick in the members' ballot, becoming party leader and Leader of the Opposition.
== Early life and education == Olukemi Olufunto "Kemi" Adegoke was born on 2 January 1980 in Wimbledon, London.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite news |date=15 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: Anti-woke campaigner making waves |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62176280 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716210843/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62176280 |archive-date=16 July 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022 |work=BBC News}}</ref> Her mother Feyi Adubifa travelled from Nigeria to the United Kingdom for medical treatment and gave birth in St Teresa's Maternity Hospital. This was before the British Nationality Act 1981 abolished automatic birthright citizenship for those born in the UK; Kemi was therefore born a British citizen, and Feyi then returned to Nigeria shortly after Olukemi was born.<ref name="View">{{cite news |last=Pagano |first=Paggie |date=31 August 2017 |title=A View from the Top: Kemi Badenoch, the 'Nigerian oil boom baby' and Tory MP who sees Brexit as a golden opportunity |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/kemi-badenoch-tory-mp-immigrant-africa-conservative-british-dream-interview-house-commons-a7911021.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909185647/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/kemi-badenoch-tory-mp-immigrant-africa-conservative-british-dream-interview-house-commons-a7911021.html |archive-date=9 September 2017 |access-date=9 September 2017 |work=The Independent |issn=1741-9743}}</ref><ref name="Sky News Profile">{{Cite news |date=4 November 2024|url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-profile-apparent-favourite-to-take-over-tory-party-and-her-combative-past-13238692|title=Kemi Badenoch profile: Combative past of new Tory leader| work=Sky News|access-date=4 November 2024 |archive-date=23 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241023001416/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-profile-apparent-favourite-to-take-over-tory-party-and-her-combative-past-13238692|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Guardian profile">{{Cite news |date=2 November 2024|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/from-a-childhood-in-nigeria-to-tory-leader-the-remarkable-rise-of-kemi-badenoch|title=From a childhood in Nigeria to Tory leader: the remarkable rise of Kemi Badenoch |work=The Guardian| access-date=4 November 2024 |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102134634/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/from-a-childhood-in-nigeria-to-tory-leader-the-remarkable-rise-of-kemi-badenoch |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Telegraph profile">{{Cite news |date=2 November 2024|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/02/kemi-badenoch-leader-conservative-party-nigeria-mcdonalds/|title=Rise of Kemi Badenoch – from childhood in Nigeria to leader of the Conservative Party |work=The Telegraph| access-date=4 November 2024 |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102181922/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/02/kemi-badenoch-leader-conservative-party-nigeria-mcdonalds/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In interviews, Badenoch denied claims she was an "anchor baby" and asserted that her family did not know she was eligible for a British passport until she was a teenager.<ref name="Standard">{{Cite news |date=30 July 2024|first=Ethan |last=Croft|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/who-is-kemi-badenoch-blue-ambition-lord-ashcroft-b1173637.html|title=The real Kemi Badenoch: key revelations from a new tell-all book|work=The Standard|access-date=24 July 2025 |archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730122512/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/who-is-kemi-badenoch-blue-ambition-lord-ashcroft-b1173637.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Turner">{{cite web |url=https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/kemi-badenochs-times-interview-janice-turner-im-top-my-brief-i-will-not-be-tripped |title=Kemi Badenoch's Times interview with Janice Turner: 'I'm on top of my brief. I will not be tripped up'|first=Brian |last=Kirsch|publisher=Kemi Badenoch |date=9 February 2024 |access-date=7 November 2024 |archive-date=19 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519010658/https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/kemi-badenochs-times-interview-janice-turner-im-top-my-brief-i-will-not-be-tripped |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/kemi-badenoch-interview-brexit-mp-views-rishi-sunak-wlczw6vrv |title=Kemi Badenoch: 'I'm on top of my brief. I will not be tripped up' |first=Janice|last=Turner|work=The Times|date=9 February 2024 |access-date=24 July 2025|url-access=subscription|archive-date=29 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829075805/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/kemi-badenoch-interview-brexit-mp-views-rishi-sunak-wlczw6vrv |url-status=live}}</ref>
Her father, Femi Adegoke, was a general practitioner who later founded a publishing company in Nigeria and became an activist for the rights of the Yoruba people. Her mother Feyi was a professor of physiology at the University of Lagos. Adegoke has a brother and a sister.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://stillwerise.uk/2021/04/03/kemi-badenoch/ |title=Kemi Badenoch |access-date=10 July 2022 |archive-date=11 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711025654/https://stillwerise.uk/2021/04/03/kemi-badenoch/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Turner"/> According to a profile in ''The Times'', Badenoch is the first cousin once removed of former Nigerian Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.<ref name="TheFightingSpirit"/>
Badenoch spent her childhood living in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States, where her mother lectured.<ref name="Eve" /><ref name="View"/> Badenoch has spoken about having a "very tough upbringing" in Nigeria. Her family lived in the middle class neighbourhood of Surulere and she was a student at the private International School of Lagos. Badenoch has described her background as "middle-class" but said in 2018 "Being middle class in Nigeria still meant having no running water or electricity, sometimes taking your own chair to school" and claimed that her family went through "periods of poverty" due to inflation.<ref name="TheFightingSpirit">{{Cite news |date=18 July 2022|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/nigeria-roots-for-kemi-badenochs-fighting-spirit-klsdmtpj8|title=Nigeria roots for Kemi Badenoch's fighting spirit |work=The Times|access-date=5 November 2024 |archive-date=18 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918142843/https://www.thetimes.com/article/nigeria-roots-for-kemi-badenochs-fighting-spirit-klsdmtpj8 |url-status=live}}</ref> She returned to the UK at the age of 16 to live with a friend of her mother's owing to the deteriorating political and economic situation in Nigeria, which had affected her family.<ref name="Bio">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbk.ac.uk/about-us/fellows/kemi-badenoch|title=Kemi Badenoch|work=Birkbeck, University of London|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907045323/https://www.bbk.ac.uk/about-us/fellows/kemi-badenoch|url-status=live}}</ref> During her parliamentary maiden speech Badenoch stated that she was "to all intents and purposes a first-generation immigrant".<ref name="Politico20220718">{{Cite web |last=Dickson |first=Annabelle |date=18 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: the UK Conservative Party's next leader-but-one? |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/kemi-badenoch-british-pm-tory-race/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718020949/https://www.politico.eu/article/kemi-badenoch-british-pm-tory-race/ |archive-date=18 July 2022 |access-date=18 July 2022 |work=Politico}}</ref>
Badenoch has claimed in several interviews to have been offered a partial scholarship to Stanford University when she was 16 to study pre-medicine on the basis of her high grades, but to have been unable to attend because the scholarship offered was not enough to cover costs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 August 2017|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kemi-badenoch-conservative-saffron-walden_uk_597cf382e4b0da64e8798f54|title=17 From '17: Kemi Badenoch: 'Left-Wing Teachers Told Me Oxbridge Wouldn't Take People Like Me'| work=Huffington Post|access-date=1 September 2025 |archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803220857/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kemi-badenoch-conservative-saffron-walden_uk_597cf382e4b0da64e8798f54|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Turner"/><ref name="Denial"/> However, Stanford did not offer a pre-med course, and the Stanford admissions officer at that time responsible for the allocation of bursaries to international students subsequently denied this happened.<ref name="Denial">{{Cite news |date=31 August 2025|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/31/doubts-cast-on-kemi-badenochs-claim-of-us-medical-school-offer|title= Doubts cast on Kemi Badenoch's claim of US medical school offer| work=The Guardian|access-date=1 September 2025 |archive-date=31 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250831165311/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/31/doubts-cast-on-kemi-badenochs-claim-of-us-medical-school-offer |url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch studied A-Levels in biology, chemistry and maths,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/new-tory-leader-kemi-badenoch-b2640093.html | title=Kemi Badenoch: The battling Boudica who isn't who you think she is | website=Independent.co.uk | date=3 November 2024 |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102140457/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/new-tory-leader-kemi-badenoch-b2640093.html |url-status=live}}</ref> at Phoenix College, a sixth form college in Morden, south London. She achieved a B in biology, a B in chemistry and a D in maths,<ref name="Standard"/> claiming that "no one at the school had pushed [her] to fulfil [her] potential" despite being a "straight A student" while in Nigeria and that being let down by "the soft bigotry of low expectations" pushed her to become a conservative.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=u2_Wz_c6RXH2CO6-&v=zWFVxg6X1qw&feature=youtu.be |title=Is Kemi Badenoch the Next Margaret Thatcher? |date=12 December 2024 |last=The Free Press |access-date=14 December 2024 |via=YouTube |archive-date=23 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223053525/https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=u2_Wz_c6RXH2CO6-&v=zWFVxg6X1qw&feature=youtu.be |url-status=live}}</ref> She did not achieve the grades required to take up an offer from Warwick University. Concurrently, she worked at a branch of McDonald's, among other jobs, including New Look. During this time, she said she "became working class".<ref name="BBC News" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=de Wolf |first=Danielle |date=18 September 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch claims she 'became working class' after working in McDonald's |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-claims-became-working-class-after-working-in-mcdonalds/ |access-date=18 September 2024 |website=LBC |archive-date=18 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918094444/https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-claims-became-working-class-after-working-in-mcdonalds/|url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex, completing a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in 2003.<ref name="Theresa">{{cite news |last=Riley-Smith |first=Ben |date=6 May 2017 |title='Theresa factor' credited with surge in women candidates as party looks set to make history by securing more women MPs than ever before |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/06/theresa-factor-credited-surge-women-candidates-party-looks-set/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409103612/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/06/theresa-factor-credited-surge-women-candidates-party-looks-set/ |archive-date=9 April 2018 |work=The Daily Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name="Saff" /> She studied law at Birkbeck, University of London, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 2009, and becoming a Fellow of Birkbeck in 2018.<ref name="Bio"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |title=Engineer, hacker and Ron DeSantis fan: five things about Kemi Badenoch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/engineer-hacker-and-ron-desantis-fan-five-things-about-kemi-badenoch |website=The Guardian |date=2 November 2024 |access-date=19 February 2025|archive-date=2 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102190925/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/engineer-hacker-and-ron-desantis-fan-five-things-about-kemi-badenoch|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Early career == Badenoch initially worked within the information technology sector, first as a software engineer at Logica (later CGI Inc) from 2003 to 2006. While working there she read Law part-time at Birkbeck, University of London, graduating as Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 2009.<ref name="View" /> Badenoch then worked as a systems analyst at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group,<ref name="TED2">{{cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/604|title=Theme: Our destiny in our hands|access-date=30 June 2017|publisher=TEDxEuston|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125194242/https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/604|archive-date=25 January 2018}}</ref> before pursuing a career in consultancy and financial services, working as an associate director at private bank and wealth manager Coutts from 2006 to 2013 and later a digital director for ''The Spectator'' from 2015 to 2016.<ref name="Saff">{{cite news |last=Lodge |first=Will |date=2 May 2017 |title=Conservative general election candidate to replace Sir Alan Haselhurst in Saffron Walden seat named as Kemi Badenoch |url=http://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/conservative-general-election-candidate-to-replace-sir-alan-haselhurst-in-saffron-walden-seat-named-as-kemi-badenoch-1-5000266 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512080152/http://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/conservative-general-election-candidate-to-replace-sir-alan-haselhurst-in-saffron-walden-seat-named-as-kemi-badenoch-1-5000266 |archive-date=12 May 2017 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Saffron Walden Reporter}}</ref><ref name="ww">{{cite book |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-287245 |date=1 December 2016 |publisher=A & C Black |isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 |edition=Who's Who, online |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U287245 |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023825/http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-287245?result=1&rskey=E17Zqq |archive-date=27 March 2018 |url-status=live |chapter=Badenoch, Kemi, (Born 1980), Member (C), London Assembly, Greater London Authority, since Sept. 2015 |title=Who's Who }}</ref><ref name="Past staff">{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch (past staff) |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/kemi-badenoch-past-staff |website=London.gov.uk |date=7 May 2015 |publisher=Greater London Authority |access-date=23 June 2021 |archive-date=23 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623072802/https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/kemi-badenoch-past-staff |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Political career == {{See also|Electoral history of Kemi Badenoch}}
left|thumb|upright=0.75|Badenoch in 2017 speaking at the London Assembly's Energy Committee
Badenoch joined the Conservative Party in 2005 at the age of 25.<ref>{{cite news |last=Quinn |first=Ben |date=10 June 2017 |title=Westminster's new intake – with some notable firsts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/10/new-mps-young-ethnically-diverse |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062438/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/10/new-mps-young-ethnically-diverse |archive-date=22 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018 |work=The Observer |issn=0029-7712}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gimson |first=Andrew |date=21 December 2017 |title=Interview: Kemi Badenoch – "I'm not really left-leaning on anything...I always lean right instinctively" |url=https://www.conservativehome.com/highlights/2017/12/interview-kemi-badenoch-im-not-really-left-leaning-on-anything-i-always-lean-right-instinctively.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062749/https://www.conservativehome.com/highlights/2017/12/interview-kemi-badenoch-im-not-really-left-leaning-on-anything-i-always-lean-right-instinctively.html |archive-date=22 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018 |work=ConservativeHome}}</ref> At the 2010 general election, she contested the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency and came third, behind the Labour Party incumbent MP Tessa Jowell and the Liberal Democrat candidate Jonathan Mitchell.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b45.stm|title=Election 2010 - Constituency — Dulwich & West Norwood |website=BBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823093116/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b45.stm|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>
=== London Assembly === In 2012, Badenoch stood for the Conservatives in the London Assembly election, where she was placed fifth on the London-wide list;<ref>{{cite news |date=1 May 2012 |title=Every candidate in the London Assembly and London mayoral elections: get the data |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/may/01/london-elections-2012-candidates |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013224644/https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/may/01/london-elections-2012-candidates |archive-date=13 October 2017 |work=The Guardian |issn=1756-3224}}</ref> Badenoch was not elected as Conservatives won only three seats.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/vote2012/assembly/|title=London Assembly Results |work=BBC News |access-date=13 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129185901/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/vote2012/assembly/|archive-date=29 November 2017}}</ref>
Three years later, in the 2015 general election, Victoria Borwick was elected to the House of Commons<ref>{{cite web |title=Kensington |url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/kensington/ |publisher=UK Polling Report |access-date=13 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013225144/http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/kensington/ |archive-date=13 October 2017}}</ref> and resigned her seat on the London Assembly. The fourth-placed candidate on the list, Suella Braverman, was also elected as an MP,<ref>{{cite news |title=Fareham |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000699 |url-status=live |work=BBC News |date=7 May 2015 |access-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230161520/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000699 |archive-date=30 December 2016}}</ref> so Badenoch became the new Assembly Member.<ref name="2015London">{{cite web |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/new-assembly-member |title=New Assembly Member appointed |date=16 September 2015 |publisher=London Assembly |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104095735/http://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/new-assembly-member |archive-date=4 November 2016}}</ref> She went on to retain her seat in the Assembly at the 2016 election, being succeeded in 2017 by fellow Conservative Susan Hall.<ref name="2016London">{{cite web|url=https://londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/election-results/results-2016|title=Results 2016|publisher=London Elects|access-date=13 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019004311/https://www.londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/election-results/results-2016|archive-date=19 October 2017}}</ref>
Badenoch supported Brexit in the 2016 UK EU membership referendum.<ref name="Eve" />
In 2018, Badenoch admitted that, a decade earlier, as a prank, she had hacked into the website of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman; Harman accepted Badenoch's apology, but the matter was reported to Action Fraud, the UK's cyber crime reporting centre.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heffer |first=Greg |date=8 April 2018 |title=Tory vice-chair Kemi Badenoch admits hacking Labour MP's website |url=https://news.sky.com/story/tory-vice-chair-kemi-badenoch-admits-hacking-labour-mps-website-11323056 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408184323/https://news.sky.com/story/tory-vice-chair-kemi-badenoch-admits-hacking-labour-mps-website-11323056 |archive-date=8 April 2018 |access-date=8 April 2018 |work=Sky News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Khomami |first=Nadia |date=9 April 2018 |title=Harriet Harman accepts Tory rising star's hacking apology |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/09/harriet-harman-accepts-tory-rising-star-kemi-badenoch-hacking-apology |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409104710/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/09/harriet-harman-accepts-tory-rising-star-kemi-badenoch-hacking-apology |archive-date=9 April 2018 |access-date=9 April 2018 |work=The Guardian |issn=1756-3224}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=8 April 2018 |title=Tory rising star apologises after admitting she 'hacked into Labour MP's website' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/04/08/tory-rising-star-apologises-admitting-shehacked-labour-mps-website/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408112546/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/04/08/tory-rising-star-apologises-admitting-shehacked-labour-mps-website/ |archive-date=8 April 2018 |access-date=8 April 2018 |work=The Daily Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
== Parliamentary career == Badenoch was shortlisted to be the Conservative Party candidate for the marginal Hampstead and Kilburn constituency at the 2017 general election, but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite news |last=Luckhurst |first=Phoebe |date=4 May 2017 |title=Meet London's new generation of Conservative MPs |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/meet-londons-new-generation-of-conservative-mps-a3530686.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031928/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/meet-londons-new-generation-of-conservative-mps-a3530686.html |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Evening Standard |issn=2041-4404}}</ref> She was subsequently selected for the same election as the Conservative candidate for Saffron Walden, a safe seat for her party, which she won with 37,629 votes and a majority of 24,966 (41.0%).<ref name="Eve">{{cite news |last=Urwin |first=Rosamund |date=14 June 2017 |title=Kemi Badenoch: I'm black but I'm also a woman, a mum and an MP |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/kemi-badenoch-i-m-black-but-i-m-also-a-woman-a-mum-and-an-mp-a3564851.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820164510/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/kemi-badenoch-i-m-black-but-i-m-also-a-woman-a-mum-and-an-mp-a3564851.html |archive-date=20 August 2017 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Evening Standard |issn=2041-4404}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Saffron Walden|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000910#election2017-logo |work=BBC News |access-date=30 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622234911/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000910|archive-date=22 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2 May 2017|title=Exclusive: Kemi Badenoch selected in Saffron Walden |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/exclusive-kemi-badenoch-selected-in-saffron-walden.html|url-status=live|work=ConservativeHome|access-date=30 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630200954/http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/exclusive-kemi-badenoch-selected-in-saffron-walden.html|archive-date=30 June 2017}}</ref>
=== Early tenure === In her maiden speech as an MP on 19 July 2017, she described the vote for Brexit as "the greatest ever vote of confidence in the project of the United Kingdom" and cited her personal heroes as the Conservative politicians Winston Churchill, Airey Neave, and Margaret Thatcher.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch's maiden speech in the Commons |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3o0Cx-kqww |website=www.youtube.com | date=19 July 2017 |access-date=17 July 2022 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717141854/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3o0Cx-kqww |url-status=live }}</ref>
thumb|Badenoch's first official portrait as an MP In the same month, Badenoch was selected to join the 1922 Executive Committee.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wallace |first=Mark |date=18 July 2017 |title=1922 Executive Committee election results announced. Two new MPs join it – Badenoch and Lamont |url=https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/07/1922-executive-committee-election-results-announced.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108233524/https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/07/1922-executive-committee-election-results-announced.html |archive-date=8 January 2018 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=ConservativeHome}}</ref> In September, she was appointed to the parliamentary Justice Select Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/justice-committee/membership/|title=Membership — Justice Committee|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=25 September 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930110300/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/justice-committee/membership/|archive-date=30 September 2017}}</ref> She was appointed as the Conservative Party's Vice Chair for Candidates in January 2018.<ref name="telegraph-20180108">{{cite news |last=Hope |first=Christopher |author-link=Christopher Hope (journalist) |date=8 January 2018 |title=Novice Tory MP Kemi Badenoch put in charge of selecting Conservative candidates for 2022 general election |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/01/08/novice-tory-mp-kemi-badenoch-put-charge-selecting-conservative/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409201419/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/01/08/novice-tory-mp-kemi-badenoch-put-charge-selecting-conservative/ |archive-date=9 April 2018 |access-date=8 April 2018 |work=The Daily Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
She voted for Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal agreement in early 2019. In the indicative votes on 27 March, she voted against a referendum on a withdrawal agreement and against a customs union with the EU.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 March 2019 |title=How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat |url=https://ig.ft.com/brexit-exit-deal-vote/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902092554/https://ig.ft.com/brexit-exit-deal-vote/ |archive-date=2 September 2019 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Financial Times |issn=0307-1766}}</ref> In October, Badenoch voted for Johnson's withdrawal agreement.<ref>{{cite news |last=Buchan |first=Lizzy |date=22 October 2019 |title=How your MP voted for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-deal-how-my-mp-voted-labour-conservative-boris-johnson-a9167026.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023144508/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-deal-how-my-mp-voted-labour-conservative-boris-johnson-a9167026.html |archive-date=23 October 2019 |access-date=4 November 2019 |work=The Independent |issn=1741-9743}}</ref>
In January 2019, Badenoch was criticised by a number of Labour MPs for suggesting that Tulip Siddiq was "making a point" by delaying her scheduled caesarean section in order to attend a House of Commons vote on Brexit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |date=15 January 2019 |title=Tory accuses pregnant Labour MP over pledge to attend Brexit vote |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/15/tory-accuses-pregnant-labour-mp-over-pledge-to-attend-vote |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717192241/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/15/tory-accuses-pregnant-labour-mp-over-pledge-to-attend-vote |archive-date=17 July 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en |issn=1756-3224}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Buchan |first=Lizzy |date=15 January 2019 |title=Conservative MP claims pregnant Labour MP delaying birth for Brexit vote to 'make a point' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-vote-pregnant-mp-kemi-badenoch-labour-tulip-siddiq-conservative-pairing-a8729256.html |access-date=9 September 2024 |website=The Independent |issn=1741-9743}}</ref>
In the run-up to the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election, Badenoch was tipped as a possible contender just two years into her tenure in parliament.<ref name="Macron moment">{{cite news |last=Watt |first=Nicholas |date=8 October 2018 |title=Where is Britain's 'Macron moment'? |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45785004 |access-date=3 December 2018 |archive-date=4 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204005735/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45785004 |url-status=live }}</ref> She instead supported the campaign of Michael Gove. In the December 2019 general election, she was re-elected with an increased majority of 27,594 (43.7%) votes.<ref name="BBC2019">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000910 |work=BBC News |title=Saffron Walden|access-date=13 December 2019|department=Election 2019|date=13 December 2019|archive-date=22 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622234911/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000910|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ryder">{{cite news|url=https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-re-elected-mp-as-conservatives-hold-saffron-walden-9093499/|work=Bishops Stortford Independent|title=General Election 2019: Kemi Badenoch re-elected as Conservatives hold Saffron Walden|date=13 December 2019|access-date=13 December 2019|last=Ryder|first=Hollie|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213133128/https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-re-elected-mp-as-conservatives-hold-saffron-walden-9093499/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Johnson government === In July 2019, Badenoch was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families by Boris Johnson.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch MP - Biography |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kemi-badenoch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727191005/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kemi-badenoch |archive-date=27 July 2019 |access-date=27 July 2019 |work=GOV.UK}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Whittaker |first=Freddie |date=29 July 2019 |title=Kemi Badenoch replaces Nadhim Zahawi as children's minister |work=Schools Week |url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/kemi-badenoch-childrens-minister-nadhim-zahawi/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164803/https://schoolsweek.co.uk/kemi-badenoch-childrens-minister-nadhim-zahawi/ |archive-date=5 November 2019}}</ref> In February 2020, Badenoch was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Department for International Trade.<ref>{{cite news |last=Maciuca |first=Andra |date=14 February 2020 |title=MPs change roles in Tory government reshuffle |work=Saffron Walden Reporter |url=https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/mps-change-roles-in-tory-government-reshuffle-1-6514567 |url-status=live |access-date=11 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221014721/https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/mps-change-roles-in-tory-government-reshuffle-1-6514567 |archive-date=21 February 2020}}</ref>
thumb|Badenoch's 2022 official portrait Badenoch published a series of tweets in January 2021 in which she included screenshots of questions sent to her office by ''HuffPost'' journalist Nadine White whom she, as a result, accused of "creepy and bizarre behaviour". White subsequently made her Twitter account private, citing the abuse she received.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |last2=Bland |first2=Archie |date=29 January 2021 |title=Minister under fire over tweets about journalist who sent her questions |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jan/29/minister-kemi-badenoch-under-fire-over-tweets-about-journalist-who-sent-her-questions |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202154744/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jan/29/minister-kemi-badenoch-under-fire-over-tweets-about-journalist-who-sent-her-questions |archive-date=2 February 2021 |access-date=3 February 2021 |work=The Guardian |issn=1756-3224}}</ref> Badenoch's actions were criticised by both the National Union of Journalists and the Council of Europe's Safety of Journalists Platform.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 February 2021 |title=NUJ condemns online and offline abuse of Nadine White |url=https://www.nuj.org.uk/news/nuj-condemns-online-and-offline-abuse-of-nadine-white/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202100146/https://www.nuj.org.uk/news/nuj-condemns-online-and-offline-abuse-of-nadine-white/ |archive-date=2 February 2021 |publisher=National Union of Journalists |access-date=3 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=1 February 2021 |title=Journalist Nadine White Smeared by Minister for Equalities |url=https://www.coe.int/en/web/media-freedom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204235547/https://www.coe.int/en/web/media-freedom |archive-date=4 February 2021 |publisher=Council of Europe |access-date=3 February 2021}}</ref> She was defended by the Prime Minister's press secretary who commented that it was all a "misunderstanding".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |date=1 February 2021 |title=No 10 defends minister who criticised HuffPost journalist on Twitter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/01/no-10-defends-minister-criticised-huffpo-journalist-twitter-kemi-badenoch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202144347/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/01/no-10-defends-minister-criticised-huffpo-journalist-twitter-kemi-badenoch |archive-date=2 February 2021 |access-date=3 February 2021 |work=The Guardian |issn=1756-3224}}</ref>
In a Cabinet reshuffle in September 2021, Badenoch was promoted to Minister of State for Equalities and appointed Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.<ref name="Reshuffle">{{cite web |date=15 September 2021 |title=Ministerial appointments: September 2021 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220312191407/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2021 |archive-date=12 March 2022 |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=GOV.UK}}</ref> Within days of her appointments, the latter title was renamed "Minister of State for Levelling Up Communities".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cordon |first1=Gavin |date=19 September 2021 |title=Michael Gove heads rebranded 'Department for Levelling Up' |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/michael-gove-government-secretary-of-state-andy-haldane-housing-b956092.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015235620/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/michael-gove-government-secretary-of-state-andy-haldane-housing-b956092.html |archive-date=15 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1438401158410866688|user=KemiBadenoch|title=I'm the Minister for Levelling Up at @MHCLG|date=16 September 2021|access-date=9 March 2022|last=Badenoch|first=Kemi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharman |first1=David |date=1 November 2021 |title=Government has 'no plans' to remove public notices from regional press |work=HoldtheFrontPage |url=https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/news/government-has-no-plans-to-remove-public-notices-from-regional-press/ |url-status=live |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101091140/https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/news/government-has-no-plans-to-remove-public-notices-from-regional-press/ |archive-date=1 November 2021}}</ref> On 6 July 2022, Badenoch resigned from the government, citing Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher scandal, in a joint statement with fellow ministers Alex Burghart, Neil O'Brien, Lee Rowley and Julia Lopez.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Faye |title=Boris Johnson's government crumbles after six more ministers quit in one go |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/06/boris-johnsons-government-crumbles-after-six-more-ministers-quit-in-one-go-16953579/ |access-date=6 July 2022 |work=Metro |date=6 July 2022 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708234948/https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/06/boris-johnsons-government-crumbles-after-six-more-ministers-quit-in-one-go-16953579/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== 2022 leadership candidacy === {{Main|July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election}}
thumb|Badenoch's leadership bid logo
Following Johnson's resignation, Badenoch launched a bid to succeed him as Conservative Party leader,<ref>{{cite news |last1=McFadden |first1=Brendan |title=Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch announces Tory leadership bid |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/former-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-announced-tory-leadership-bid-1733814 |access-date=8 July 2022 |work=inews.co.uk |date=8 July 2022 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233909/https://inews.co.uk/news/former-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-announced-tory-leadership-bid-1733814 |url-status=live }}</ref> stating that she wanted to "tell the truth" and that she advocated "strong but limited government".<ref>{{cite web |date=9 July 2022|author1=Peter Walker|author2=Nadeem Badshah |title=Tory MPs hit back at 'treacherous' Rishi Sunak as leadership race begins |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/09/rishi-sunak-tory-leadership-race-boris-johnson |access-date=9 July 2022 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709100027/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/09/rishi-sunak-tory-leadership-race-boris-johnson |url-status=live }}</ref> As a candidate, she called the target of net zero carbon emissions "ill-thought through" and said that politicians had become "hooked on the idea of the state fixing the majority of problems".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Malnick |first=Edward |date=9 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: 'My late father taught me about responsibility' |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/07/09/kemi-badenoch-late-father-taught-responsibility/ |access-date=9 July 2022 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709151736/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/07/09/kemi-badenoch-late-father-taught-responsibility/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
According to ''The Sunday Times'', Badenoch entered the race as "a relatively unknown minister for local government" but "within a week emerged as the insurgent candidate to become Britain's next prime minister".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yorke |first=Harry |date=17 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: Labour's still living in the past on race |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-labours-still-living-in-the-past-on-race-wpzkfgt6t |access-date=17 July 2022 |issn=0140-0460 |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717023606/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-labours-still-living-in-the-past-on-race-wpzkfgt6t |url-status=live }}</ref> She was eliminated in the fourth round of voting<ref name=ITV>{{cite news |title=Three remain in Tory leadership race after Kemi Badenoch eliminated |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-19/three-remain-in-tory-leadership-race-after-kemi-badenoch-eliminated |access-date=19 July 2022 |work=ITV News |date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=19 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142050/https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-19/three-remain-in-tory-leadership-race-after-kemi-badenoch-eliminated |url-status=live }}</ref> and did not endorse another candidate.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Tory leadership: Johnson to face final PMQs ahead of leadership vote |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62232038 |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720092523/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62232038 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Truss government === In September 2022, after Liz Truss became prime minister, she appointed Badenoch to her Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Trade.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 September 2022 |title=New cabinet: Who is in Liz Truss's top team? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62796077 |access-date=20 October 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906184552/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62796077|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kemi-badenoch |access-date=20 October 2022 |website=GOV.UK |archive-date=27 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727191005/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kemi-badenoch|url-status=live}}</ref> Following Truss's resignation the following month, Badenoch endorsed Rishi Sunak in the leadership election,<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 October 2022 |title=Tory leadership: Kemi Badenoch backs Rishi Sunak to be the next PM |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63353097 |access-date=22 October 2022|archive-date=21 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021215304/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63353097|url-status=live}}</ref> stating that he was "the serious, honest leader we need".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |title=Kemi Badenoch: Sunak is the serious, honest leader we need |work=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-sunak-is-the-serious-honest-leader-we-need-5qkkng3zv |access-date=22 October 2022 |issn=0140-0460|archive-date=23 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823033318/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-sunak-is-the-serious-honest-leader-we-need-5qkkng3zv|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Sunak government === [[File:Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets Secretary of State for International Trade Kemi Badenoch (52454145400).jpg|thumb|Badenoch with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 25 October 2022]] On 25 October 2022, Badenoch was retained as Secretary of State for International Trade by Rishi Sunak upon him becoming prime minister. She was also granted the additional role of Minister for Women & Equalities.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 October 2022 |title=UK's Badenoch re-appointed as trade minister, takes on equalities brief |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-lawmaker-kemi-badenoch-re-appointed-trade-minister-sky-news-2022-10-25/ |access-date=26 October 2022|archive-date=25 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025180647/https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-lawmaker-kemi-badenoch-re-appointed-trade-minister-sky-news-2022-10-25/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a February 2023 Cabinet reshuffle, Badenoch was appointed as the first Secretary of State at the newly created Department for Business and Trade, with continued responsibility for equalities. The new role was effectively an expansion of her portfolio as International Trade Secretary to include the business and investment responsibilities of the newly dissolved Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.<ref name="Feb 23 Appointment"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.investmentweek.co.uk/news/4074053/kemi-badenoch-appointed-secretary-business-trade |title=Kemi Badenoch appointed secretary of state for business and trade |website=Investment Week |author=Martinez, Valeria |date=7 February 2023 |access-date=7 February 2023 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207123553/https://www.investmentweek.co.uk/news/4074053/kemi-badenoch-appointed-secretary-business-trade |url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2022, Badenoch, as Equalities Minister, approved the appointment of Joanne Cash as a Commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board. Badenoch said that Cash had "a track record of promoting women's rights and freedom of expression". Subsequently, in the summer of 2022, Cash donated to Badenoch's campaign as a candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party. In 2023, after the appointment was completed, Anneliese Dodds, shadow equalities minister, said the government was engulfed in "sleaze and cronyism" and Badenoch should "come clean" about why she had not declared a political interest in the appointment. When it reported the story, ''The Guardian'' said Badenoch had not broken any rules and quoted an Equality Hub spokesperson saying the "appointment was made following a full and open competition".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=9 February 2023 |title=Kemi Badenoch gives leadership campaign donor equalities job |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/09/kemi-badenoch-gives-equalities-job-to-donor-to-leadership-campaign-joanne-cash-ehrc |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=9 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209160001/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/09/kemi-badenoch-gives-equalities-job-to-donor-to-leadership-campaign-joanne-cash-ehrc |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch agree trade agreement with Ukraine (52534536078).jpg|thumb|Badenoch with Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, 30 November 2022]] In late April 2023, Badenoch announced that the government was planning to reduce the number of laws to be repealed to around 800, as opposed to the government's original target of around 4,000 laws.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hope |first=Christopher |date=27 April 2023 |title=Tories to leave thousands of EU laws intact in latest Brexit betrayal |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/04/27/tories-scrap-one-in-five-redundant-eu-laws-brexit-betrayal/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |issn=0307-1235|archive-date=27 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427183738/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/04/27/tories-scrap-one-in-five-redundant-eu-laws-brexit-betrayal/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Carroll |first=Lisa |date=28 April 2023 |title=Bonfire of EU laws watered down to just 800 after meeting of Brexiter MPs |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/28/bonfire-of-eu-laws-watered-down-to-just-800-after-meeting-of-brexit-mps |access-date=30 April 2023 |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428095114/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/28/bonfire-of-eu-laws-watered-down-to-just-800-after-meeting-of-brexit-mps |url-status=live}}</ref> The change was met with dismay by Brexit advocates, including the Bill's original architect Jacob Rees-Mogg.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rees-Mogg |first=Jacob |date=7 January 2023 |title=Brexit is being surrendered to the declinist Europhile establishment |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/06/brexit-surrendered-declinist-europhile-establishment/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |issn=0307-1235|archive-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106190158/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/06/brexit-surrendered-declinist-europhile-establishment/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, ''The New Statesman'' named her as the seventh most powerful British right-wing figure in 2023, describing her as the "darling" of many party members, in spite of "cooling enthusiasm".<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 September 2023 |title=The New Statesman's right power list |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/09/the-new-statesmans-right-power-list |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=New Statesman |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927162215/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/09/the-new-statesmans-right-power-list|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 16 July 2023, Badenoch signed an agreement for the UK to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which on ratification would give British exporters preferential access to a market of 500 million consumers in the Asia Pacific region, who accounted for approximately 13% of global GDP. Although the UK government forecasted that membership of the trading bloc would only increase the size of the economy by 0.08% over 10 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 July 2023|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66214927|title=CPTPP trade deal will benefit UK if we use it, says Kemi Badenoch |work=BBC News |access-date=4 November 2024|archive-date=16 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716103824/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66214927 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In December 2023, Badenoch decided to refuse an application, which was said to have been approved by the British Phonographic Industry, for Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding from Belfast based rappers Kneecap. ''BBC News'' reported that a government spokesperson said it was "hardly surprising" that they did not want to hand out UK taxpayers' money to those opposed to the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 June 2024|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce55empyvg3o|title=Kneecap funding refusal 'attack on culture'|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=29 November 2024 |archive-date=20 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620121112/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce55empyvg3o|url-status=live}}</ref> The rap group claimed that the actual reason for the refusal was that a poster for their 2019 'Farewell to the Union' tour, which depicted Boris Johnson tied to a large firework rocket, had angered the Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 November 2024|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1129/1483717-kneecap-discrimination-case/|title=Kneecap win case over 'unlawful' UK government funding block|newspaper=RTE News| language=en|access-date=29 November 2024 |archive-date=29 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129113507/https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1129/1483717-kneecap-discrimination-case/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 29 November 2024, the Belfast High Court ruled that the British government had acted illegally by withholding the £14,250 in funding on the sole basis of the band's political views, with the UK's Department for Business and Trade agreeing that the original decision by Badenoch had been "unlawful and procedurally unfair". In a statement, Kneecap accused the former Conservative government of committing "a fascist type action, an attempt to block art that does not agree with their views".<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 November 2024|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/29/kneecap-uk-government-acted-illegally-in-withholding-funding-from-irish-rap-trio|title=Kneecap: UK government acted illegally in withholding funding from Irish rap trio|newspaper=The Guardian| language=en|access-date=29 November 2024 |archive-date=29 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129105938/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/29/kneecap-uk-government-acted-illegally-in-withholding-funding-from-irish-rap-trio|url-status=live}}</ref>
Under Badenoch's direction, negotiations for the Canada–United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement was paused in January 2024 after the British government resisted Canadian demands to lift the ban on hormone treated beef being sold to UK consumers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 January 2024|url=https://news.sky.com/story/post-brexit-trade-talks-with-canada-paused-amid-row-over-beef-and-cheese-13056552|title=Post-Brexit trade talks with Canada paused amid row over beef and cheese |work=Sky News |access-date=4 November 2024|archive-date=26 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126103525/https://news.sky.com/story/post-brexit-trade-talks-with-canada-paused-amid-row-over-beef-and-cheese-13056552 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ending of talks resulted in a worse trade agreement with Canada than when the UK was still an EU member, such as a 245% tariff on British cheese exports.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 January 2024|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68107263 |title=UK-Canada trade rift: What it means for cheese, beef and cars |work=BBC News |access-date=4 November 2024|archive-date=26 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126195301/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68107263 |url-status=live}}</ref>
On 1 May 2024 Badenoch's office used a letter sent by Conservative MP Eddie Hughes to Walsall Academy as evidence to support Badenoch's claim that girls at a school who did not want to use gender-neutral toilets developed urinary tract infections. Hughes had claimed in May 2023 in a letter to Walsall Academy that "one female pupil has developed a UTI" as she did not feel comfortable using gender-neutral toilets.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 May 2023 |title=Concerns Regarding Walsall Academy's Gender Neutral Toilets |url=https://www.eddiehughes.co.uk/news/concerns-regarding-walsall-academys-gender-neutral-toilets |access-date=1 May 2024 |website=Eddie Hughes MP |language=en |archive-date=1 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501161243/https://www.eddiehughes.co.uk/news/concerns-regarding-walsall-academys-gender-neutral-toilets |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Adu |first=Aletha |date=1 May 2024 |title=Badenoch claims girls developed UTIs due to lack of single-sex toilets at school |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/may/01/kemi-badenoch-school-single-sex-toilets-claims |access-date=1 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=1 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501101814/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/may/01/kemi-badenoch-school-single-sex-toilets-claims |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Early opposition and 2024 leadership bid === {{Main|2024 Conservative Party leadership election}}
thumb|Logo for Badenoch's 2024 leadership campaign Due to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, Badenoch's constituency of Saffron Walden was abolished, and replaced with North West Essex. At the 2024 general election, Badenoch was elected to Parliament as MP for North West Essex with 35.6% of the vote and a majority of 2,610.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coyle |first=Simon |date=4 July 2024 |title=North West Essex general election 2024 results in full as Kemi Badenoch contests seat |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/north-west-essex-general-election-29336292 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Manchester Evening News |issn=0962-2276|archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705012744/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/north-west-essex-general-election-29336292|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the Conservative defeat at the general election, she was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boakye |first=Kwame |date=9 July 2024 |title=Badenoch appointed shadow levelling up secretary |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/badenoch-appointed-shadow-levelling-up-secretary-09-07-2024/ |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=Local Government Chronicle (LGC) |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709230044/https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/badenoch-appointed-shadow-levelling-up-secretary-09-07-2024/|url-status=live}}</ref> She publicly criticised Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Dave |date=10 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch 'rips into Rishi Sunak to his face in front of top Tories' |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-rips-rishi-sunak-33207653 |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=The Daily Mirror |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710101613/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-rips-rishi-sunak-33207653 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2024, ''The Guardian'' reported that at least three officials working under Badenoch had experienced bullying in the Department for Business and Trade and that she had created an intimidating atmosphere while she was in charge.<ref name="Independent20240730" /> According to this report, the officials felt "pushed out" by "bullying and traumatising" behaviour and claimed that individuals were regularly humiliated and occasionally left in tears after working with her. An official "town hall" meeting had been held in December 2023 to address low morale in the department.<ref name="Independent20240730">{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=David |date=30 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch dismisses accusations she bullied civil service staff |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-bullying-civil-service-b2588496.html |access-date=1 August 2024 |website=The Independent |issn=1741-9743|archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730232456/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-bullying-civil-service-b2588496.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian20240730">{{Cite news |last=Crerar |first=Pippa |date=30 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch accused of 'bullying and traumatising' staff |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/30/kemi-badenoch-accused-of-bullying-and-traumatising-staff |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730164935/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/30/kemi-badenoch-accused-of-bullying-and-traumatising-staff |url-status=live |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="SkyNews20240731">{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Alexandra |date=31 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch rejects bullying accusations as 'utterly false smears' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-rejects-bullying-accusations-as-utterly-false-smears-13187147 |access-date=1 August 2024 |website=Sky News |archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730213910/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-rejects-bullying-accusations-as-utterly-false-smears-13187147 |url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch denied these claims, describing them as smears from former staff and accusing them of "covering up their own failures and general gross incompetence", and accused ''The Guardian'' of acting on behalf of the Labour Party.<ref name="Independent20240730" /> A department spokesperson confirmed that there were no formal complaints or investigations into Badenoch's alleged behaviour.<ref name="Independent20240730" /><ref name="TheGuardian20240730" /><ref name="SkyNews20240731" />
On 28 July 2024, she announced she was running in the election to be the new Tory leader.<ref>{{cite news |last=Francis |first=Sam |date=28 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch announces bid to become Tory leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw0yr7pyzneo |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=BBC News |archive-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728212721/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw0yr7pyzneo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Watling |first=Tom |date=28 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch launches Tory leadership bid as Suella Braverman withdraws from contest |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-suella-braverman-tory-leadership-contest-b2587355.html |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=The Independent |issn=1741-9743|archive-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728213612/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-suella-braverman-tory-leadership-contest-b2587355.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch's campaign was chaired by former Planning Minister Rachel Maclean.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cockerell |first=Claudia |date=2 September 2024 |title=Londoner's Diary: Kemi Badenoch launches leadership bid with merch and warm Coke |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/kemi-badenoch-launches-conservative-leadership-campaign-b1179617.html |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=The Standard |archive-date=2 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902172558/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/kemi-badenoch-launches-conservative-leadership-campaign-b1179617.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the days leading up to the announcement, Badenoch released a statement criticising the "dirty tricks" of rival candidates,<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 July 2024|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/26/kemi-badenoch-accuses-tory-leadership-rival-of-dirty-tricks|title=Kemi Badenoch accuses Conservative leadership rival of 'dirty tricks'|newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=5 November 2024|archive-date=26 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726133728/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/26/kemi-badenoch-accuses-tory-leadership-rival-of-dirty-tricks|url-status=live}}</ref> after The Spectator published an article<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 July 2024|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/could-these-be-the-online-comments-of-young-kemi-badenoch/|title=Could these be the online comments of young Kemi Badenoch?|newspaper=The Spectator |access-date=5 November 2024|archive-date=25 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725172037/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/could-these-be-the-online-comments-of-young-kemi-badenoch/ |url-status=live}}</ref> quoting unflattering comments posted by a user named "Kemi" from several years previously on the ''Naijablog'' website.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 July 2024|url=https://thecritic.co.uk/questioning-kemis-comments/|title=Questioning "Kemi's" comments|newspaper=The Critic |access-date=5 November 2024 |archive-date=29 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240729204325/https://thecritic.co.uk/questioning-kemis-comments/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=5 April 2010|url=https://www.naijablog.co.uk/2010/04/camerons-babes.html|title=Cameron's babes|newspaper=Naijablog |access-date=5 November 2024|archive-date=27 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927084929/https://www.naijablog.co.uk/2010/04/camerons-babes.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
Despite being considered the frontrunner at the beginning of the contest,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Tim |date=10 July 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch has double the support of Suella Braverman among members to be next Tory leader, poll suggests |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-has-double-the-support-of-suella-braverman-among-members-to-be-next-tory-leader-poll-suggests-13175817 |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=Sky News |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710043831/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-has-double-the-support-of-suella-braverman-among-members-to-be-next-tory-leader-poll-suggests-13175817 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the first and second MP ballots, Badenoch came second to Robert Jenrick, with 22 and 28 votes respectively.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stacey |first=Kiran |date=4 September 2024 |title=Priti Patel knocked out of Tory leadership contest in first round |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/sep/04/priti-patel-knocked-out-of-tory-leadership-contest-in-first-round-of-voting |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=4 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904145211/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/sep/04/priti-patel-knocked-out-of-tory-leadership-contest-in-first-round-of-voting|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dilnot |first=Giles |date=10 September 2024 |title=STRIDE ELIMINATED ON THE SECOND BALLOT |url=https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/10/stride-eliminated-on-the-second-ballot/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=ConservativeHome |archive-date=11 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911020343/https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/10/stride-eliminated-on-the-second-ballot/ |url-status=live}}</ref> However, according to both YouGov's poll and ConservativeHome's survey of the Conservative Party membership, Badenoch still led every other candidate in a head to head race in a membership vote.<ref>{{Cite news |last=English |first=Patrick |date=23 August 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch leads in first YouGov poll of Tory members for 2024 leadership contest |url=https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50368-kemi-badenoch-leads-in-first-yougov-poll-of-tory-members-for-2024-leadership-contest |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=YouGov|archive-date=23 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823094848/https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50368-kemi-badenoch-leads-in-first-yougov-poll-of-tory-members-for-2024-leadership-contest|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Henry |date=4 September 2024 |title=Our survey. Badenoch maintains her lead in the leadership race - and defeats all comers in the final round. |url=https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/04/our-survey-badenoch-maintains-her-lead-in-the-leadership-race-and-defeats-all-comers-in-the-final-round/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=ConservativeHome |language=en-GB|archive-date=4 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904081422/https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/04/our-survey-badenoch-maintains-her-lead-in-the-leadership-race-and-defeats-all-comers-in-the-final-round/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Speaking at the 2024 Conservative Party Conference, Badenoch joked that up to 10% of civil servants are so bad they should be in prison, suggesting they leak official secrets and "agitate" against ministers, "There's about 5–10% of them who are very, very bad. You know, should-be-in-prison bad", Badenoch said.<ref name="TheGuardian20241001" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Faye |date=1 October 2024 |title=Badenoch 'joking' over claim 10% of civil servants 'should be in prison' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/badenoch-joking-over-claim-10-of-civil-servants-should-be-in-prison-13226045 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009184241/https://news.sky.com/story/badenoch-joking-over-claim-10-of-civil-servants-should-be-in-prison-13226045 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Sky News}}</ref>
The general secretary of the FDA union of civil servants, Dave Penman, called on Badenoch to withdraw the comments. "These are serious accusations from a former secretary of state, who is now standing to be leader of her party. If she has evidence to back up those claims she should publish it, otherwise withdraw."<ref name="TheGuardian20241001">{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=1 October 2024 |title=Some civil servants so bad they should be in prison, says Kemi Badenoch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/01/some-civil-servants-should-be-in-prison-says-kemi-badenoch |access-date=9 October 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001185419/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/01/some-civil-servants-should-be-in-prison-says-kemi-badenoch|url-status=live}}</ref>
Badenoch came third in the third MP's ballot, with 30 votes,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7x04vnng1o | title=Cleverly ahead in Tory race, as Tugendhat voted out | work= BBC News| date= 8 October 2024 |archive-date=8 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008143804/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7x04vnng1o |url-status=live}}</ref> but topped the final vote of MPs with 42, one ahead of Robert Jenrick and five clear of James Cleverly who was eliminated.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.sky.com/story/tory-leadership-race-james-cleverly-knocked-out-leaving-robert-jenrick-and-kemi-badenoch-as-final-two-facing-party-membership-vote-13230871|title=Tory leadership race: James Cleverly knocked out - leaving Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch as final two facing party membership vote |work=Sky News |first=Alexandra|last=Rogers|date=9 October 2024|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009144825/https://news.sky.com/story/tory-leadership-race-james-cleverly-knocked-out-leaving-robert-jenrick-and-kemi-badenoch-as-final-two-facing-party-membership-vote-13230871|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/james-cleverly-robert-jenrick-kemi-badenoch-mps-tom-tugendhat-b2626559.html|title=Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch to face off in final Tory leadership vote|work=The Independent|access-date=9 October 2024|archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009150644/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/james-cleverly-robert-jenrick-kemi-badenoch-mps-tom-tugendhat-b2626559.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In the members' vote, Badenoch faced Jenrick, who she defeated with 56.5% of the vote. She was then declared the winner of the race, and thus Leader of the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/what-kemi-badenochs-victory-means-for-the-tories/ | title=What Kemi Badenoch's victory means for the Conservatives | work=The Spectator| date= 2 November 2024| last1=Balls|first1=Katy |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102134112/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/what-kemi-badenochs-victory-means-for-the-tories/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Leadership of the Conservative Party (since 2024) == {{Wikinews|Kemi Badenoch becomes new leader of UK's Conservative Party}} [[File:Kemi Badenoch's victory speech after the 2024 Conservative Party leadership election.webm|thumb|Badenoch's acceptance speech after being elected as leader of the Conservative Party and becoming leader of the opposition in 2024]] [[File:Remembrance Sunday in Whitehall 2024-11-10-10-57-C.jpg|thumb|Badenoch with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 10 November 2024]] In her acceptance speech, Badenoch vowed to "renew" the Conservative Party, setting out her belief that the Conservatives had two responsibilities: to "hold this Labour Government to account" and to "prepare over the course of the next few years for government".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 November 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch's speech in full as Tory leader: 'The time has come to tell the truth' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-full-speech-tory-leader-race-win-b2640120.html |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=The Independent |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102131634/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-full-speech-tory-leader-race-win-b2640120.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She became the first black leader of any major UK political party and the fourth woman to lead the Conservative Party, after Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 November 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership election |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/kemi-badenoch-wins-tory-leadership-election |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=2 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102132226/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/02/kemi-badenoch-wins-tory-leadership-election|url-status=live}}</ref>
Badenoch appointed Rebecca Harris as Chief Whip of the Conservative Party in her first appointment to her Shadow Cabinet on 4 November 2024, as she began forming her opposition frontbench.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5md9rqy0eo | title=Kemi Badenoch appoints Rebecca Harris as chief whip in shadow cabinet | date=3 November 2024 |archive-date=3 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241103193015/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5md9rqy0eo |url-status=live}}</ref> On 15 January 2025, Badenoch's spokesperson confirmed she will not conduct a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle before the next general election.<ref name="SC">{{Cite news |date=15 January 2025|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/15/badenoch-i-wont-reshuffle-shadow-cabinet-before-election/|title=Badenoch: I won't reshuffle shadow Cabinet before general election|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=15 January 2025|archive-date=15 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115181951/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/15/badenoch-i-wont-reshuffle-shadow-cabinet-before-election/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a 23 December 2024 interview with BBC Radio 4's ''Today'' programme, Badenoch said the public "kicked out" the Conservative Party because it was not trusted and did not deliver; she dismissed concerns that her approach of not having specific policy positions would leave a vacuum that could be filled by Reform UK; and she acknowledged the forthcoming 2025 United Kingdom local elections would be difficult for her party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lg964le26o|title=Kemi Badenoch says there is no 'quick fix' for Conservative Party|date=23 December 2024|website=www.bbc.com|archive-date=23 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223060747/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lg964le26o|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a January 2025 speech, Badenoch criticised past actions of the Conservative Party regarding issues such as delivering Brexit and lowering immigration, admitting that they had told the public "what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later."<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 January 2025|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17edyz11nno|title=Badenoch criticises Tory handling of Brexit|newspaper=BBC News |access-date=5 February 2025|archive-date=16 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116104836/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17edyz11nno|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=16 January 2025|url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-says-tories-made-mistakes-on-brexit-and-left-eu-without-plan-for-growth-13290221|title=Kemi Badenoch says Tories made 'mistakes' on Brexit and left EU 'without plan for growth'|newspaper=Sky News |access-date=5 February 2025|archive-date=16 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116192451/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-says-tories-made-mistakes-on-brexit-and-left-eu-without-plan-for-growth-13290221|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Kemi Badenoch Political Cabinet 2024.jpg|thumb|Badenoch with her shadow cabinet in 2024]] In May 2025, on the occasion of a negotiation of a new deal with the European Union by Keir Starmer's government, Kemi Badenoch declared "There is a big difference between an 18 year old from France who's coming for their gap year and a 30 year old with several children who's coming from a much poorer EU country like Bulgaria or Romania."<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 May 2025|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/19/politics-latest-news-brexit-starmer-uk-eu-summit/|title=Badenoch vows to reverse Starmer's EU deal|newspaper=Telegraph |access-date=19 May 2025|archive-date=19 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519075940/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/19/politics-latest-news-brexit-starmer-uk-eu-summit|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 22 July 2025, Badenoch reshuffled her shadow cabinet in effort to improve party unity and its credibility.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Devlin |first1=Kate |last2=Mitchell |first2=Archie |last3=Gooch |first3=Bryony |last4=Dalton |first4=Jane |date=22 July 2025 |title=Politics latest: Cleverly returns to shadow cabinet but Jenrick could miss out on top role in Tory reshuffle |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-reshuffle-latest-badenoch-jenrick-cleverly-b2793474.html |website=The Independent|archive-date=22 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722072347/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-reshuffle-latest-badenoch-jenrick-cleverly-b2793474.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior in January, she stated that she would not reshuffle the shadow cabinet.<ref name="SC"/>
=== Northern Ireland === In November 2024, Badenoch faced criticism from Eurosceptic MPs, such as Nigel Farage, when she whipped Conservative MPs into abstaining on a vote to introduce passports for household pets travelling between the Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As well as a perceived undermining of the Union, critics said that an effective Opposition would oppose the scheme rather than wave it through Parliament.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 November 2024|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/14/badenoch-under-fire-from-brexiteers-for-pet-passports/|title=Badenoch under fire from Brexiteers for waving through pet passports for Northern Ireland|newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=15 November 2024|archive-date=14 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114170826/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/14/badenoch-under-fire-from-brexiteers-for-pet-passports/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In early October 2025, when challenged during an interview with BBC Northern Ireland that the Tory government she was a part of had undermined the Union with mainland Britain by enforcing an Irish Sea border as part of the Brexit negotiations, Badenoch retorted that "the last time I checked, Northern Ireland did vote to leave",<ref name="NI">{{Cite news |date=2 October 2025|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly972lm6ddo|title=Badenoch mistakenly says NI voted in favour of Brexit|newspaper=BBC News|archive-date=2 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002193452/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly972lm6ddo|url-status=live}}</ref> despite the fact that N.I. voted to remain in the European Union by a majority of 56% to 44% during the 2016 EU Referendum.<ref name="NI"/> Foyle MP Colum Eastwood later criticized her comments and claimed it demonstrated how mainland UK politicians did not take important Irish issues seriously.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 October 2025|title=Tory leader incorrectly claims NI voted for Brexit: 'Is it any wonder more and more people are thinking and talking about Irish unity?|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tory-leader-incorrectly-claims-ni-voted-for-brexit-is-it-any-wonder-more-and-more-people-are-thinking-and-talking-about-irish-unity/a771825541.html|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|language=en|archive-date=2 October 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20251002203056/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tory-leader-incorrectly-claims-ni-voted-for-brexit-is-it-any-wonder-more-and-more-people-are-thinking-and-talking-about-irish-unity/a771825541.html|url-status=live }}</ref>
In late October 2025, after a former member of the Parachute Regiment known as "Soldier F" was found not guilty of two murders and five attempted murders during a 1972 civil rights march,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kearney |first=Vincent |date=23 October 2025 |title=Soldier F cleared of two murders, five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2025/1023/1540095-soldier-f-trial/ |newspaper=RTÉ News |archive-date=23 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251023053637/https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2025/1023/1540095-soldier-f-trial/|url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch said she was pleased by the verdict,<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 October 2025|title=Northern Ireland's political leaders divided over Soldier F acquittal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/kemi-badenoch-british-northern-ireland-dup-people-b1254604.html|newspaper=The Standard|archive-date=23 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251023152114/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/kemi-badenoch-british-northern-ireland-dup-people-b1254604.html|url-status=live}}</ref> despite the fact that "Soldier F" had previously admitted shooting at least four unarmed civilians on the day in question.<ref name="Foct2003">{{Cite news |date=3 October 2003|title=Soldier admits shooting fourth man|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/oct/03/bloodysunday.northernireland|newspaper=The Guardian|archive-date=11 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011013155/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/oct/03/bloodysunday.northernireland|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2026, Badenoch was forced to apologise after a Tory party political video featuring British soldiers storming the Bogside on Bloody Sunday was released to her Twitter account. The video, which was made to voice opposition to reforms of the 2023 Legacy and Reconciliation Act, was later branded ""disgusting and disgraceful" by Colum Eastwood.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 May 2026|title=Kemi Badenoch apologises after Bloody Sunday footage used in video|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx21n5kx4d9o|newspaper=BBC News}}</ref>
=== Calls for a public inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal === {{Main|Grooming gangs scandal}}
In October 2024, Jess Phillips, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, rejected Oldham Council's request for an independent public inquiry into the Oldham child sexual exploitation scandal, favouring a locally-run inquiry instead.<ref name="BBC20250102">{{cite news |date=2 January 2025 |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for national inquiry into 'rape gangs' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4xnv02nr0o |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=BBC News|archive-date=2 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102172713/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4xnv02nr0o|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2 January 2025, Badenoch called for a "long overdue" national public inquiry into the UK's rape gangs, criticising the government for not supporting a government-led inquiry into Oldham's case.<ref name="GBNews">{{cite web |title=POLL OF THE DAY: Is Kemi Badenoch right to force a vote on a national inquiry into grooming gangs? |url=https://www.gbnews.com/politics/poll-of-the-day-kemi-badenoch-force-vote-national-inquiry-grooming-gangs |accessdate=7 January 2025|archive-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108161231/https://www.gbnews.com/politics/poll-of-the-day-kemi-badenoch-force-vote-national-inquiry-grooming-gangs|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SkyNews">{{cite news |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for 'long overdue' national inquiry into UK grooming scandal |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-calls-for-long-overdue-national-inquiry-into-uk-grooming-scandal-13282797 |work=Sky News|date=2 January 2025 |accessdate=7 January 2025|archive-date=2 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102193253/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-calls-for-long-overdue-national-inquiry-into-uk-grooming-scandal-13282797|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TheOldhamTimes">{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for national inquiry into UK's 'rape gangs scandal' |date=2 January 2025 |url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/24828530.kemi-badenoch-calls-national-inquiry-uks-rape-gangs-scandal/ |accessdate=7 January 2025|archive-date=14 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114132621/https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/24828530.kemi-badenoch-calls-national-inquiry-uks-rape-gangs-scandal/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In response, Phillips said that the previous Conservative government, of which Badenoch was a part, had also supported a local inquiry in Oldham, while Keir Starmer accused Badenoch of only jumping "on the bandwagon" after recent tweets from Elon Musk (who called Phillips a "rape genocide apologist" and suggested she was attempting to shield Starmer from blame since he led the Crown Prosecution Service when the abuse occurred), highlighting how she never raised the issue during her previous seven years in government, which included periods when she served as the Children's Minister and the Minister for Women and Equalities.<ref>{{cite news |date=7 January 2025 |title=Jess Phillips hits back at Elon Musk and says he should 'crack on with getting to Mars' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/jess-phillips-has-more-important-things-to-think-about-than-elon-musk-13285103 |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=Sky News |archive-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107205125/https://news.sky.com/story/jess-phillips-has-more-important-things-to-think-about-than-elon-musk-13285103 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Penna |first=Dominic |date=2 January 2025 |title=Elon Musk: Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison over Labour refusal to launch grooming inquiry |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/02/elon-musk-jess-phillips-oldham-council-grooming-inquiry/ |work=The Daily Telegraph |archive-date=2 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102165548/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/02/elon-musk-jess-phillips-oldham-council-grooming-inquiry/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 January 2025 |title=Labour minister slams Elon Musk after suggesting Jess Phillips 'deserves to be in prison' over grooming gang handling |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/elon-musk-grooming-gangs-uk-labour-inquiry/ |access-date=5 January 2025 |website=LBC |archive-date=2 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102165548/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/02/elon-musk-jess-phillips-oldham-council-grooming-inquiry/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RTE20250106">{{Cite web |date=6 January 2025 |title=Starmer hits back at Musk and 'poison of the far-right' |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/uk/2025/0106/1489301-uk-politics/ |access-date=6 January 2025 |website=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|archive-date=6 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106131219/https://www.rte.ie/news/uk/2025/0106/1489301-uk-politics/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PMQs review: Badenoch's attacks are undermined by her record in government|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-staggers/2025/01/pmqs-review-badenochs-attacks-are-undermined-by-her-record-in-government|website=New Statesman|access-date=14 January 2025 |date=8 January 2025 |archive-date=8 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108181526/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-staggers/2025/01/pmqs-review-badenochs-attacks-are-undermined-by-her-record-in-government |url-status=live}}</ref> Farage responded by accusing both major parties of failing victims over the years and a week later announced that Reform UK would raise money to appoint "independent arbiters" to examine gang rapes across Britain if the government refused to do it itself.<ref name="GBNews" /><ref name="SkyNews" />
Starmer said politicians and activists were "spreading lies and misinformation" over grooming gangs, and were appealing to the far-right.{{efn|Starmer said: "When politicians, and I mean politicians, who sat in government for many years are casual about honesty, decency, truth and the rule of law, calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-right, then that affects politics because a robust debate can only be based on the true facts and that is why this is actually an important point about our politics, not about what anybody may or may not say on Twitter. My fight to change the way that the prosecution service operated is a matter of public record. Making sure the men responsible for these despicable acts were brought to justice. Put in the dock... then behind bars. That is why I brought the first prosecution for a grooming gang. Far-right voices have tried to rewrite history. Those spreading lies and misinformation are not interested in the victims. Those cheerleading for Tommy Robinson - a thug who was jailed for almost collapsing a grooming case - are not interested in justice. They are only interested in themselves."}}<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sparrow |first1=Andrew |last2=Badshah |first2=Nadeem |date=6 January 2025 |title=UK politics: Yvette Cooper says victims and survivors panel being set up after child abuse inquiry recommendations – as it happened |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/jan/06/uk-politics-keir-starmer-nhs-reforms-grooming-gangs-live-updates |access-date=14 January 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=6 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106094408/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/jan/06/uk-politics-keir-starmer-nhs-reforms-grooming-gangs-live-updates|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PM attacks those 'spreading lies' on grooming gangs as he hits back at Musk |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75wp53vk1lo |work=BBC News|archive-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106112117/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75wp53vk1lo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RTE20250106"/> Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse said: "It doesn't need more consultation, it does not need more research or discussion, it just needs to be done."<ref name="BBC20250102"/>
=== Israel's expulsion of Labour MPs === In early April 2025, Badenoch was the subject of cross-party condemnation when she defended Israel's decision to refuse entry and then deport Labour MP's Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were traveling as part of a charity delegation consisting of Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Council for Arab-British Understanding. In response to Badenoch's comments on Sky News that she respected every country's right to control its borders, the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy released a statement saying it was "disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs".<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 April 2025|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/06/kemi-badenoch-israel-labour-mps-yuan-yang-abtisam-mohamed|title=Badenoch draws cross-party criticism for backing Israel's expulsion of Labour MPs|newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=22 April 2025|archive-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406133748/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/06/kemi-badenoch-israel-labour-mps-yuan-yang-abtisam-mohamed |url-status=live}}</ref> A few days later, after Badenoch criticised the government of China for not allowing Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse to enter Hong Kong, she claimed "the two situations are different" when challenged by reporters about her two contrasting responses to the similar diplomatic incidents.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 April 2025|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kemi-badenoch-slams-china-banning-1333077|title=Kemi Badenoch Slams China For Banning MP – After Backing Israel For Doing The Same|newspaper=Yahoo News |access-date=22 April 2025|archive-date=22 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251022183429/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kemi-badenoch-slams-china-banning-1333077 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== 2025 local elections === {{Main|2025 United Kingdom local elections}}
Under Badenoch's leadership, in the May 2025 local elections the Conservatives lost about two-thirds of the council seats held.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dearden |first=Lizzie |date=2 May 2025 |title=Reform UK Surges as Conservatives Lose Seats: 4 Local Elections Takeaways |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/world/europe/uk-local-elections-results-reform-labour-conservative.html |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |url-access=subscription|archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502145144/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/world/europe/uk-local-elections-results-reform-labour-conservative.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Local election results 2025 in England | publisher=BBC News| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2025/england/results|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503095321/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2025/england/results|archive-date=3 May 2025}}</ref> All 16 councils where the Conservatives had a majority were lost to Reform UK or the Liberal Democrats, or no party had a majority. Badenoch apologised to all unseated councillors, describing the result as "a bloodbath".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/02/kemi-badenoch-i-am-sorry-for-election-bloodbath/|title=I am sorry for Tory election 'bloodbath'|first=Kemi|last=Badenoch|work=The Telegraph |date=2 May 2025|via=www.telegraph.co.uk |archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502232151/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/02/kemi-badenoch-i-am-sorry-for-election-bloodbath/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election for a seat in Parliament, held on the same day, the Conservative Party won 7% of the vote, coming third behind Reform and Labour on 39% each.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Halliday |first=Josh |date=2 May 2025 |title=Reform wins Runcorn byelection by just six votes in blow to Labour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/02/reform-runcorn-and-helsby-byelection-local-elections |work=The Guardian|archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502055200/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/02/reform-runcorn-and-helsby-byelection-local-elections |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== India–UK Free Trade Agreement === After the India–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement was agreed in principle on 6 May 2025, Badenoch criticized the deal's three year UK National Insurance exemption for Indian workers. However, Badenoch later faced accusations of hypocrisy when the Financial Times quoted unnamed Indian government officials in claiming she herself had offered giving Indian employees a similar two year N.I. relief during negotiations when she was the UK Trade Secretary.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 May 2025|title=Kemi Badenoch agreed to trade deal tax arrangement, say Indian officials|url=https://www.ft.com/content/7f1337ff-5e38-4941-b60d-fec592918323|newspaper=Financial Times|language=en|archive-date=7 May 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250507142719/https://www.ft.com/content/7f1337ff-5e38-4941-b60d-fec592918323|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=7 May 2025|title=Badenoch backed 'two-tier' tax deal, says India|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/07/kemi-badenoch-backed-two-tier-tax-deal-india-claims/|newspaper=The Telegraph|language=en|archive-date=7 May 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250507170640/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/07/kemi-badenoch-backed-two-tier-tax-deal-india-claims/|url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Defections to Reform UK === {{Main|List of Conservative Party defections to Reform UK}}
As of May 2026, Badenoch has been faced with many defections to Reform UK.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McKiernan |first=Jennifer |date=19 January 2026 |title=Badenoch warns Tory MPs against plotting and psychodrama |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxj4pkw20yo |access-date=21 January 2026 |website=BBC News |archive-date=19 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260119195446/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxj4pkw20yo |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2025, after a string of Tory councillors left the party to join Reform UK, Badenoch told the Scottish Tory conference she was unconcerned with this perceived threat from Nigel Farage's party and asserted the defections were actually a "good thing", because in her opinion those leaving did not "believe in conservatism".<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 June 2025|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-conservatives-reform-defections-b2769652.html|title=Kemi [Badenoch] thinks people leaving Conservatives is a 'good thing'|newspaper=The Independent|archive-date=13 June 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613171823/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-conservatives-reform-defections-b2769652.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2025, after former Tory cabinet ministers David Jones<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nation.cymru/news/senior-reform-figures-want-ex-welsh-secretary-david-jones-to-become-first-minister/ | title=Senior Reform figures 'want ex Welsh Secretary David Jones to become First Minister' | date=22 January 2025 |archive-date=22 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122214725/https://nation.cymru/news/senior-reform-figures-want-ex-welsh-secretary-david-jones-to-become-first-minister/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and Jake Berry<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/uk-politics/former-conservative-party-chairman-sir-jake-berry-defects-to-reform-uk/ |title=Former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry defects to Reform UK |last=Paul |first=Jacob |date=9 July 2025 |work=LBC |location=London|archive-date=9 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250709203049/https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/uk-politics/former-conservative-party-chairman-sir-jake-berry-defects-to-reform-uk/ |url-status=live}}</ref> joined Reform, Badenoch made a speech stating that any other Tories who "are not interested in coming up with a proper policy plan" and defected to Reform in the belief it would increase their chances of being elected were "welcome to do so".<ref>{{Cite news |date= 10 July 2025|url=https://news.sky.com/story/badenoch-says-tories-who-want-to-jump-ship-to-farages-reform-welcome-to-do-so-13395003|title=Badenoch says Tories who 'want to jump ship' to Farage's Reform 'welcome to do so'|newspaper=Sky News|archive-date=10 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250710160504/https://news.sky.com/story/badenoch-says-tories-who-want-to-jump-ship-to-farages-reform-welcome-to-do-so-13395003|url-status=live}}</ref> In early September 2025, after sitting Tory MP Danny Kruger<ref name="Defection">{{Cite news |date=15 September 2025 |title=Conservative MP Danny Kruger defects to Reform UK |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce802dmgnyro |access-date=15 September 2025 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> accompanied former Minister for Health Maria Caulfield<ref name="bbc-2025-09-16">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wg3zx4r0qo|title=Former Conservative minister Maria Caulfield defects to Reform|date=16 September 2025|website=BBC News|archive-date=16 September 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250916113650/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wg3zx4r0qo|url-status=live}}</ref> and former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries<ref>{{cite news |last= Whannel |first= Kate |title= Ex-Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9zld87y1go |work= BBC News |access-date= 4 September 2025|archive-date=4 September 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250904185124/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9zld87y1go|url-status=live}}</ref> in defecting to Reform, it was revealed that Badenoch was nicknamed 'Santa Claus' within Reform party headquarters as she gave them "a Christmas gift every day".<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 September 2025|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/21/why-farage-has-nicknamed-badenoch-santa-claus/|title=Why Farage has nicknamed Badenoch Santa Claus|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|archive-date=22 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250922090912/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/21/why-farage-has-nicknamed-badenoch-santa-claus/|url-status=live}}</ref> Badenoch later denounced her former colleagues as people "running away from problems" rather than trying to solve the issues the Tory party was currently facing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 September 2025|url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-defecting-conservatives-reform-5HjdD5g_2/|title=Kemi Badenoch slams defecting Conservatives as 'running away from problem|newspaper=LBC|archive-date=16 September 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250916210529/https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-defecting-conservatives-reform-5HjdD5g_2/|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2025, former Tory party MPs Ben Bradley,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oakley |first1=Tom |title=Former Tory MP and council leader joins Reform UK |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e43yew2x7o |website=BBC News |access-date=11 December 2025 |date=11 December 2025|archive-date=11 December 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251211154751/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e43yew2x7o |url-status=live}}</ref> Jonathan Gullis, Lia Nici and Chris Green defected to Reform. Gullis, who was previously Conservative Party deputy chair, was quoted by the BBC as saying the Tories had "lost touch with the people it was meant to serve".<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 December 2025|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-defections-tories-nigel-farage-jonathan-gullis-b2875553.html|title=Three former Tory MPs defect to Farage's Reform|newspaper=The Independent|archive-date=1 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251201132124/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-defections-tories-nigel-farage-jonathan-gullis-b2875553.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2026, Nadhim Zahawi, who previously held several senior roles including as Chancellor of the Exchequer under previous Tory governments, and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 January 2026|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/26/farage-reform-uk-press-conference/|title=Suella Braverman defects to Reform|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|archive-date=26 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260126172100/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/26/farage-reform-uk-press-conference|url-status=live}}</ref> defected to Reform,<ref>{{cite web |title=Former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi defects to Reform UK|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lxn75gw1do |website=BBC News |access-date=12 January 2026 |date=12 January 2026|archive-date=28 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260128234922/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/26/farage-reform-uk-press-conference/|url-status=live}}</ref> as did Conservative MP for Romford Andrew Rosindell.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 January 2026|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/18/tory-mp-andrew-rosindell-defects-reform/|title=Tory shadow minister defects to Reform|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|archive-date=19 January 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260119113209/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/18/tory-mp-andrew-rosindell-defects-reform|url-status=live}}</ref>
==== Sacking of Robert Jenrick ==== On 15 January 2026, Badenoch announced that she had removed Robert Jenrick from his post as shadow justice secretary, as well as removing the whip and suspending his party membership with immediate effect, after she was "presented with clear, irrefutable evidence" that he intended to defect to Reform UK in a way "designed to be as damaging as possible" to the Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite news |date= 15 January 2026 |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kemi-badenoch-sacks-robert-jenrick-111535992.html |title= Kemi Badenoch Sacks Robert Jenrick Over Plot To Defect To Reform UK|newspaper=Yahoo News|archive-date=11 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260211014141/https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=2_cc-session_6ef8ccce-c706-4efd-9caa-0aff1ee868d0 |url-status=live}}</ref> Later in the day Jenrick joined Reform UK,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=McKiernan |first1=Jennifer |last2=Nevett |first2=Joshua |date=15 January 2026 |title=Jenrick defects to Reform UK after being sacked by Tories |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyrpdy42n1o |work=BBC News|archive-date=15 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260115133811/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrpdy42n1o |url-status=live}}</ref> and at a joint press conference with Nigel Farage he confirmed he had defected to Reform UK after becoming disillusioned with the Conservative Party. He also criticised his former colleagues Mel Stride and Priti Patel for their mishandling of welfare reform and immigration while in government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rigley |first=Stephen |date=15 January 2026 |title=Read in full: Tory defector Robert Jenrick's speech as he's unveiled by Reform UK |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/read-in-full-tory-defector-robert-jenricks-speech-reform-uk-5HjdQrQ_2/ |access-date=16 January 2026 |website=LBC |archive-date=16 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116144949/https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/read-in-full-tory-defector-robert-jenricks-speech-reform-uk-5HjdQrQ_2/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
===European Convention on Human Rights=== In October 2025, Badenoch announced that if the Conservative party wins the next general election, they would take the United Kingdom out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as a study by Conservative lawyers asserted that the ECHR blocks the deportation of illegal immigrants and often leads to the legal persecution of British military veterans.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 October 2025|title=UK will leave ECHR if Tories win election, Badenoch says|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mxy2j2elro |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=BBC News |archive-date=3 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251003230742/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mxy2j2elro|url-status=live}}</ref> The announcement was criticized by Amnesty International, who accused the Tory party of "scapegoating people fleeing persecution" in order to strip civil rights protections from British citizens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-leaving-echr-would-be-cowardly-and-make-everyone-less-safe|title=Leaving the ECHR 'would be cowardly' and make everyone less safe |work=Amnesty International |archive-date=9 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251109192423/https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-leaving-echr-would-be-cowardly-and-make-everyone-less-safe |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Political views == {{Conservatism UK|Politicians}} Badenoch is described as being on the right wing of the Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burford |first=Rachael |date=16 July 2022 |title=Who is Kemi Badenoch? What is her background on Brexit and anti-woke agenda |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/who-is-kemi-badenoch-tory-leadership-contender-brexit-husband-b1011893.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715214657/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/who-is-kemi-badenoch-tory-leadership-contender-brexit-husband-b1011893.html |archive-date=15 July 2022 |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=Evening Standard |language=en |issn=2041-4404}}</ref> She has also personally described herself as being on the "liberal wing" of the Conservative Party,<ref name=independent/> while being "not really left-leaning on anything".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gimson |first=Andrew |date=21 December 2017 |title=Interview: Kemi Badenoch – 'I'm not really left-leaning on anything...I always lean right instinctively' |url=https://conservativehome.com/2017/12/21/interview-kemi-badenoch-im-not-really-left-leaning-on-anything-i-always-lean-right-instinctively/ |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=ConservativeHome |archive-date=10 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710022912/https://conservativehome.com/2017/12/21/interview-kemi-badenoch-im-not-really-left-leaning-on-anything-i-always-lean-right-instinctively/|url-status=live}}</ref> She has identified English philosopher Roger Scruton and American economist Thomas Sowell as her influences, citing Sowell's ''Basic Economics'' as an influence.<ref name="TheTimes20220709">{{Cite web |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |date=9 July 2022 |title=I want to set us free by telling people the truth |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-i-want-to-set-us-free-by-telling-people-the-truth-85sk8prm9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730001643/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-i-want-to-set-us-free-by-telling-people-the-truth-85sk8prm9 |archive-date=30 July 2024 |access-date=9 October 2024 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref>
During her parliamentary maiden speech in 2017, Badenoch named Winston Churchill, Airey Neave and Margaret Thatcher as political heroes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/kemi-badenochs-maiden-speech-commons |title=Kemi Badenoch's maiden speech in the Commons |date=19 July 2017 |access-date=1 November 2024}}</ref> She has also been characterised as a social conservative and "anti-woke" politician.<ref name="independent">{{Cite web |last=O'Grady |first=Sean |date=16 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: The anti-woke Brexiteer making waves in the Tory leadership race |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/kemi-badenoch-tory-leadership-race-brexit-b2124741.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716135037/https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/kemi-badenoch-tory-leadership-race-brexit-b2124741.html |archive-date=16 July 2022 |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en |issn=1741-9743}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 July 2022 |title=Kemi Badenoch: Anti-woke campaigner making waves |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62176280 |access-date=16 July 2022 |archive-date=15 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715235206/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62176280 |url-status=live }}</ref> Badenoch has described herself as a "net zero sceptic" and has repeatedly voted in Parliament against measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pearson |first1=Mitya |title=What Kemi Badenoch means for the UK's fragile consensus on climate change |url=https://theconversation.com/what-kemi-badenoch-means-for-the-uks-fragile-consensus-on-climate-change-242857 |website=The Conversation |access-date=20 November 2024 |date=6 November 2024|archive-date=6 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241106234104/https://theconversation.com/what-kemi-badenoch-means-for-the-uks-fragile-consensus-on-climate-change-242857|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sethi |first1=Pallavi |title=Kemi Badenoch's climate scepticism: a growing problem for the Conservative Party and its voters |url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/kemi-badenochs-climate-scepticism-a-growing-problem-for-the-conservative-party-and-its-voters/ |website=Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment |access-date=20 November 2024 |date=12 November 2024|archive-date=12 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112155203/https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/kemi-badenochs-climate-scepticism-a-growing-problem-for-the-conservative-party-and-its-voters/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Abortion === Badenoch describes herself as "pro‑choice, but not pro‑abortion up to full term."<ref name="twitter-prochoice">{{Cite tweet |user=KemiBadenoch |number=1935420804226859432 |title=[...]I'm pro-choice, but not pro-abortion up to full term... |date=18 June 2025 |access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>
She has voted against efforts to expand abortion access beyond current legal limits. On 18 July 2019, she was absent from a key vote on amendments to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, which extended abortion access and same-sex marriage rights to Northern Ireland in the absence of a functioning government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baynes |first=Chris |date=10 July 2019 |title=These are the MPs who voted against lifting abortion abortion ban and same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/same-sex-marriage-northern-ireland-list-every-mp-voted-against-lifting-abortion-ban-a8998456.html |access-date=22 October 2025 |website=The Independent}}</ref> In July 2022, she abstained on a proposal concerning decriminalisation for abortion services and voted against a telemedicine proposal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oppenheim |first=Maya |date=15 July 2022 |title=The Tory leadership candidates views on abortion rights |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/tory-leadership-race-abortion-b2123205.html |access-date=22 October 2025 |website=The Independent |archive-date=22 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251222232233/https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/tory-leadership-race-abortion-b2123205.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2024, she voted against a Labour government bill to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2022 |title=MPs back abortion clinic buffer zone law |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63302710 |access-date=22 October 2025 |work=BBC News |archive-date=18 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018165904/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-63302710|url-status=live}}</ref> On 17 June 2025, she voted against a bill that decriminalised self-managed abortion in England and Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Devlin |first1=Kate |last2=Gooch |first2=Bryony |date=17 June 2025 |title=MPs vote to decriminalise abortion in historic change to reproductive rights |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/abortion-vote-decriminalise-mp-parliament-b2771734.html |access-date=22 October 2025 |website=The Independent |archive-date=17 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617193307/https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/politics/abortion-vote-decriminalise-mp-parliament-b2771734.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Race relations === thumb|upright=0.75|Badenoch as Minister for Equalities and Levelling Up Communities
During a House of Commons debate in April 2021, Badenoch criticised the Labour Party's response to a report compiled by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities that had declared Britain was not institutionally racist. Labour had described the report as "cherry-picking of data", while the party's former frontbench MP Dawn Butler claimed the report was "gaslighting on a national scale", describing those who put it together as "racial gatekeepers".<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGuinness |first=Alan |date=20 April 2021 |title=Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch slams 'bad faith' critics of government-commissioned race report |url=https://news.sky.com/story/equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-slams-bad-faith-critics-of-government-commissioned-race-report-12281360 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420231418/https://news.sky.com/story/equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-slams-bad-faith-critics-of-government-commissioned-race-report-12281360 |archive-date=20 April 2021 |access-date=20 April 2021 |work=Sky News}}</ref> Badenoch accused Labour of "wilful misrepresentations" over the report and responded to Butler's comments by stating "It is wrong to accuse those who argue for a different approach as being racism deniers or race traitors. It's even more irresponsible, dangerously so, to call ethnic minority people racial slurs like Uncle Toms, coconuts, house slaves or house negroes for daring to think differently."<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Nadine |date=21 April 2021 |title=Kemi Badenoch hits out at 'appalling abuse' following controversial race report |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-race-report-b1834407.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420231418/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-race-report-b1834407.html |archive-date=20 April 2021 |access-date=20 April 2021 |website=The Independent |issn=1741-9743}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 April 2021 |title=Minister for Equalities' speech on the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' report |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/minister-for-equalities-speech-on-the-commission-on-race-and-ethnic-disparities-report |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420231420/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/minister-for-equalities-speech-on-the-commission-on-race-and-ethnic-disparities-report |archive-date=20 April 2021 |access-date=20 April 2021 |work=GOV.UK}}</ref>
In a Black History Month debate in the House of Commons in October 2020, she reiterated the government's opposition to primary and secondary schools teaching white privilege and similar "elements of critical race theory" as uncontested facts.<ref>{{cite web |last=Murray |first=Jessica |date=20 October 2020 |title=Teaching white privilege as uncontested fact is illegal, minister says |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/20/teaching-white-privilege-is-a-fact-breaks-the-law-minister-says |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021020142/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/20/teaching-white-privilege-is-a-fact-breaks-the-law-minister-says |archive-date=21 October 2020 |access-date=21 October 2020 |work=The Guardian |issn=1756-3224}}</ref> ''ConservativeHome'' readers voted Badenoch's speech on critical race theory 2020 "speech of the year", in which she said that any school that teaches "elements of political race theory as fact, or which promotes partisan political views such as defunding the police without offering a balanced treatment of opposing views, is breaking the law."<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 December 2020 |title=Speech of the year: Kemi Badenoch on critical race theory |url=https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2020/12/speech-of-the-year-kemi-badenoch-on-critical-race-theory.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822110844/https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2020/12/speech-of-the-year-kemi-badenoch-on-critical-race-theory.html |archive-date=22 August 2021 |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=ConservativeHome}}</ref>
During her leadership campaign launch, Badenoch expressed criticism of identity politics in a 2022 article for ''The Times'', arguing that, "Exemplified by coercive control, the imposition of views, the shutting down of debate, the end of due process, identity politics is not about tolerance or individual rights but the very opposite of our crucial and enduring British values."<ref name="Politico20220718" /><ref name="TheTimes20220709" />
=== Immigration === In December 2018, Badenoch praised the Home Secretary's decision to remove the annual limits on work visas and to allow students from the European Union to stay in the UK for six months after graduating.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang-Pertoll |first=Kira Jade |date=19 August 2024 |title=Badenoch Backpedals on Her Contradictory Immigration Statements - Edge Media |work=Edge Media |url=https://edge.media/contradictory-immigration-statements/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |archive-date=25 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425060601/https://edge.media/contradictory-immigration-statements/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In September 2024, Badenoch wrote an article for ''The Sunday Telegraph'' in which she argued that "We can not be naïve and assume immigrants will automatically abandon ancestral ethnic hostilities at the border, or that all cultures are equally valid. They are not." She argued that "Our country is not a dormitory for people to come here and make money. It is our home. Those we chose to welcome, we expect to share our values and contribute to our society. British citizenship is more than having a British passport but also a commitment to the UK and its people." Badenoch also called for a better "integration strategy" that emphasised British values and culture, referring in her article to the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Baroness Falkner, who had reported that "we seem to be failing to integrate" new immigrants, and "called for new arrivals to the UK to be required to take an 'integration course', adopting an approach used in Germany".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |date=28 September 2024 |title=Migrants who come to Britain must uphold its traditions, not change them |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2024/09/28/kemi-badenoch-migrants-britain-tradition/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004070920/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2024/09/28/kemi-badenoch-migrants-britain-tradition/ |archive-date=4 October 2024 |access-date=9 October 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Adu |first=Aletha |date=29 September 2024 |title='Not all cultures equally valid' when it comes to immigration, says Badenoch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/29/kemi-badenoch-not-all-cultures-equally-valid-immigration |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Malnick |first=Edward |date=9 March 2024 |title=Integration in Britain is failing, says equalities chief |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/09/integration-of-immigrants-failing-says-equalities-chief/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240928202027/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/09/integration-of-immigrants-failing-says-equalities-chief/ |archive-date=28 September 2024 |access-date=9 October 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
During an interview on the BBC's ''Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg'' broadcast in September 2024, Badenoch stated that she believed in "western values, the principles which have made this country great, and I think that we need to make sure that we continue to abide by those principles, to keep the society that we have now." She said that immigrants who bring "foreign conflicts" should not be welcomed into the country, citing what she argued as the "number of recent immigrants who hate Israel. It is quite clear that there are many people who have recently come to this country who have brought views from where they used to be that have no place here." She argued that the United Kingdom needed a stronger strategy to "make sure that we have a shared culture and a shared identity".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3dvpxkrk8yo |title=Badenoch and Jenrick at odds on tackling immigration |date=29 September 2024 |access-date=7 November 2024|archive-date=29 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929110201/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3dvpxkrk8yo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kemi-badenoch-in-extraordinary-clash-with-laura-kuenssberg-over-immigrants-who-hate-israel_uk_66f91094e4b023b8021ce14e |title=Kemi Badenoch In Extraordinary Clash With Laura Kuenssberg Over Immigrants Who 'Hate Israel' |work=HuffPost UK |date=29 September 2024 |access-date=7 November 2024|archive-date=29 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929093047/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kemi-badenoch-in-extraordinary-clash-with-laura-kuenssberg-over-immigrants-who-hate-israel_uk_66f91094e4b023b8021ce14e|url-status=live}}</ref>
Badenoch is opposed to allowing devolved governments within the United Kingdom to operate a separate immigration and visa policy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lindsay |first1=Frey |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/freylindsay/2024/10/28/immigration-should-not-be-devolved-to-scotland-says-tory-candidate/ |title=Immigration Should Not Be Devolved To Scotland, Says Tory Candidate |website=Forbes |access-date=7 November 2024|archive-date=1 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241101171651/https://www.forbes.com/sites/freylindsay/2024/10/28/immigration-should-not-be-devolved-to-scotland-says-tory-candidate/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In November 2024, amid the release of revised figures showing that net immigration to the United Kingdom had reached a record 906,000 for the year ending June 2023, Badenoch stated that the Conservative Party had "got it wrong" on immigration during their time in power.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McArthur |first1=Tom |title=Net migration hit record 906,000 last year |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3degx4029ko |work=BBC News |date=28 November 2024}}</ref> She announced that the party would launch a review into "every policy, treaty and part of our legal framework – including the ECHR and the Human Rights Act". Badenoch said the Conservatives will introduce a new immigration policy under her leadership which will include a "strict numerical cap" on immigration, tightening access to British passports and a "zero tolerance" policy on foreign criminals staying in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgze55vrx6o |title=Tories got immigration wrong, says Kemi Badenoch |website=BBC News |date=27 November 2024 |access-date=15 December 2024|archive-date=27 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127193432/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgze55vrx6o|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Foreign policy === [[File:Windsor Castle State Banquet 2025-09-17-17-53-02.jpg|thumb|right|Badenoch with US President Donald Trump in September 2025]] Badenoch has expressed support for strengthening ties between Israel and the United Kingdom. During her leadership bid, Badenoch wrote a letter to the Conservative Friends of Israel saying: "If I am leader of the Conservative Party, we will continue to strengthen our ties with Israel and root out the tragic resurgence of antisemitism in the UK. We will be true to our values." A November 2024 article in ''The Times of Israel'' described Badenoch as a "pro-Israel" politician.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-conservative-party-picks-pro-israel-kemi-badenoch-as-new-leader/ |title=UK Conservative Party picks pro-Israel Kemi Badenoch as new leader |website=The Times of Israel |date=2 November 2024 |access-date=7 November 2024 |archive-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102125031/https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-conservative-party-picks-pro-israel-kemi-badenoch-as-new-leader/|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2025, in an interview with Trevor Phillips on Sky News, Badenoch defended Israel's war on Gaza, described it as a "proxy war on behalf of the UK" and stated that the war aligns with "Britain's national interest." Badenoch also dismissed Israel's actions as a "genocide" stating, "Israel is fighting a war. It is not for me to police exactly how they are doing that…It is not a genocide, as people are saying."<ref>{{cite web|title= 'Israel fighting the UK's proxy war' says Kemi Badenoch|url= https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-waging-proxy-war-uk-gaza-says-kemi-bedenoch|website=Middle East Eye|date=25 May 2025|last=Gjevori|first=Elis|access-date=27 May 2025|archive-date=25 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250525192906/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-waging-proxy-war-uk-gaza-says-kemi-bedenoch|url-status=live}}</ref>
In her role as International Trade Secretary, Badenoch rejected demands to revoke arms exports to Israel following the outbreak of the Gaza war and condemned the October 7 attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jns.org/uk-conservative-party-elects-pro-israel-leader/ |title=UK Conservative Party elects pro-Israel leader |date=4 November 2024 |access-date=7 November 2024|archive-date=4 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241104113312/https://www.jns.org/uk-conservative-party-elects-pro-israel-leader/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a September 2024 interview with ''Sky News'' Badenoch argued that Israel had shown "moral clarity in dealing with its enemies and the enemies of the West" with military action targeting the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://unherd.com/newsroom/tory-candidates-vie-to-outflank-each-other-on-israel/ |title=Tory candidates vie to outflank each other on Israel |access-date=7 November 2024 |archive-date=6 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006084045/https://unherd.com/newsroom/tory-candidates-vie-to-outflank-each-other-on-israel/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|id=OAGqQ_0BBSU|title=Kemi Badenoch: 'Israel is showing moral clarity in dealing with its enemies'}}</ref>
Following the 2024 United States presidential election which resulted in the victory of Donald Trump, Badenoch wrote a column in ''The Daily Telegraph'' imploring the British government to resume trade deal talks with the United States which had been scrapped by the Biden administration. She argued that the reelection of Trump was a "golden opportunity" for agreements between Britain and America and claimed "the onus is now on the Labour Government to put aside their embarrassing student politics diplomacy, which has already shot Britain in the foot on Israel and the Chagos Islands" and warned that delays by the government to engage with the Trump administration would put Britain at risk if the White House introduced trade tariffs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/09/trade-deal-with-america-within-our-grasp-trump-eu-starmer/ |title=A trade deal with America is within our grasp – but will Labour squander the opportunity? |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=9 November 2024 |access-date=12 November 2024 |last1=Badenoch |first1=Kemi |archive-date=9 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109181543/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/09/trade-deal-with-america-within-our-grasp-trump-eu-starmer/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:JD Vance meets Kemi Badenoch.jpg|thumb|217x217px|Badenoch with US Vice-President JD Vance]] In 2023, Badenoch referred to China's role on the world stage as a "challenge" rather than a "threat" to Britain and argued "Chinese people are different from the Chinese government and it is important to be diplomatic."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-minister-kemi-badenoc-china-foe-parliament-spy-scandal/ |title=China should not be described as a 'foe' - but is a 'challenge', says Kemi Badenoch |date=11 September 2023 |access-date=13 November 2024 |archive-date=11 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230911101220/https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-minister-kemi-badenoc-china-foe-parliament-spy-scandal/|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2024, Badenoch argued that China represented a threat through "economic coercion" and a deliberate strategy to "flood the market, driving other nations' industries out of business." She wrote "too many of the world's economies continue to develop a dependency on China, including the UK. This is dangerous for our economy and our freedom. We need to understand exactly how our exposure to China impacts our national security to ensure that we can't be blackmailed" and argued that net zero targets in Britain risked handing the Chinese government an unfair economic advantage through outsourced EV, battery and solar production to China involving slave labour. Badenoch argued that Britain should participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and embed itself in trade agreements within the Indo-Pacific region to create more economic competition with China.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/07/net-zero-is-gifting-our-future-china/ |title=Net zero is gifting our future to an increasingly dominant China |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=7 September 2024 |access-date=13 November 2024 |last1=Badenoch |first1=Kemi |archive-date=7 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907220406/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/09/07/net-zero-is-gifting-our-future-china/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
In December 2024, Badenoch was criticised by Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima for previous comments in which he perceived her to be "denigrating her nation of origin". In response, a spokesman for Badenoch indicated that she would not be withdrawing any previous statements, adding that she "is not the PR for Nigeria".<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 December 2024|title=Badenoch stands by Nigeria comments after criticism|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2ygwxn9kzo|work=BBC News|language=en|access-date=14 January 2025 |archive-date=11 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211165037/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2ygwxn9kzo|url-status=live}}</ref>
In May 2025, Badenoch said that the Conservative Party is the "last line of defence" for Israel in the UK parliament while delivering a speech at the Conservative Friends of Israel's business lunch.<ref>{{cite web |last= Harpin |first= Lee |date= 19 May 2025 |title= Badenoch: My party is 'last line of defence' for Israel in Parliament |url= https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/badenoch-my-conservative-party-is-last-line-of-defence-for-israel-in-uk-parliament/ |website= Jewish News |access-date= 2 August 2025|archive-date=19 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519152142/https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/badenoch-my-conservative-party-is-last-line-of-defence-for-israel-in-uk-parliament/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2025, Badenoch declared her admiration for the policies of Argentine President Javier Milei, whom she considers a role model for his "chainsaw" economic measures, praising Milei and crediting him with lowering Argentina's inflation and "fighting woke ideology", further adding that she wants to be "the British Javier Milei."<ref>{{cite news |title=La líder del Partido Conservador de Reino Unido dijo que quiere ser "la Javier Milei británica" |trans-title=The leader of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom said that she wants to be the "British Javier Milei"|work=La Nación|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/la-lider-del-partido-conservador-de-reino-unido-dijo-que-quiere-ser-la-javier-milei-britanica-nid24072025/ |access-date=30 August 2025 |date=24 July 2025 |language=es|archive-date=23 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251023094206/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/la-lider-del-partido-conservador-de-reino-unido-dijo-que-quiere-ser-la-javier-milei-britanica-nid24072025/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=La líder del Partido Conservador británico dijo que quiere ser "la Milei del Reino Unido" |trans-title=The leader of the British Conservative Party said that she wants to be the "Milei of the United Kingdom"|url=https://www.clarin.com/mundo/lider-partido-conservador-britanico-dijo-quiere-milei-reino-unido_0_fSq8dh1817.html |access-date=30 August 2025 |work=Clarín |date=24 July 2025 |language=es |archive-date=22 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251022124154/https://www.clarin.com/mundo/lider-partido-conservador-britanico-dijo-quiere-milei-reino-unido_0_fSq8dh1817.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title="Quiero ser la Milei británica": la dirigente que se inspira en el modelo motosierra |trans-title="I want to be the British Milei": The leader who inspires herself in the chainshaw model|url=https://www.pagina12.com.ar/844448-quiero-ser-la-milei-britanica-la-dirigente-que-se-inspira-en |access-date=30 August 2025 |work=Página 12 |date=24 July 2025 |language=es|archive-date=24 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724214437/https://www.pagina12.com.ar/844448-quiero-ser-la-milei-britanica-la-dirigente-que-se-inspira-en |url-status=live}}</ref>
In January 2026, Badenoch stated she has "no issue" with removing the Iranian regime, describing it as an "enemy" of the United Kingdom. She justified her position by claiming Iran "would very happily wipe out the UK if it felt it could get away with it" and accused the regime of attempting assassinations on British soil.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |date=11 January 2026 |title=UK wants peaceful transition of power in Iran, says minister |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/11/uk-wants-peaceful-transition-of-power-in-iran-says-uk-minister |access-date=11 January 2026 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|archive-date=11 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260111113208/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/11/uk-wants-peaceful-transition-of-power-in-iran-says-uk-minister|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Colonialism === Regarding the United Kingdom's colonial history, Badenoch has argued that "there were terrible things that happened during the British Empire, there were other good things that happened, and we need to tell both sides of the story".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alibhai |first=Zaina |date=21 March 2022 |title=Equalities minister says British Empire achieved 'good things' throughout rule |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-british-empire-colonialism-b2040002.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716213130/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-british-empire-colonialism-b2040002.html |archive-date=16 July 2022 |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en |issn=1741-9743}}</ref>
In leaked WhatsApp messages, Badenoch said "I don't care about colonialism because [I] know what we were doing before colonialism got there" and argued that Europeans "came in and just made a different bunch of winners and losers" on the African continent. She also stated that prior to colonisation, "There was never any concept of 'rights', so [the] people who lost out were old elites; not everyday people".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunte |first=Ben |date=22 September 2021 |title='I Don't Care About Colonialism': Read UK Equalities Minister's Leaked WhatsApps |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/kemi-badenoch-i-dont-care-about-colonialism-read-uk-equalities-ministers-leaked-whatsapps/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717032417/https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvnpb/kemi-badenoch-i-dont-care-about-colonialism-read-uk-equalities-ministers-leaked-whatsapps |archive-date=17 July 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref>
In a 2024 speech, Badenoch said: "It worries me when I hear people talk about wealth and success in the UK as being down to colonialism or imperialism or white privilege or whatever."<ref name="TheGuardian20240418">{{Cite news |last=Makortoff |first=Kalyeena |date=18 April 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch: 'UK's wealth isn't from white privilege and colonialism' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/18/kemi-badenoch-uk-wealth-not-from-white-privilege-colonialism |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Instead, she said "the Glorious Revolution of 1688 – which led to the development of the UK constitution and solidified the role of parliament – should be credited for providing the kind of economic certainty that paved the way for the Industrial Revolution."<ref name="TheGuardian20240418" />
In June 2025, after the agreement to return the Chagos Archipelago located in the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, Kemi Badenoch called the agreement "terrible", saying "why on Earth" should British taxpayers pay for tax cuts in Mauritius.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 June 2025 |title=Tories accuse PM of funding tax cuts for Mauritians |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c39x8ly827yo.amp |access-date=11 June 2025 |work=BBC News |language=en|last=Wheeler|first=Brian}}</ref>
=== LGBT rights === In 2019, Badenoch abstained on a vote to extend same-sex marriage rights to Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gambetta |first=Gina |date=21 February 2020 |title=Boris Johnson's new equalities minister abstained from key LGBT+ votes |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-lgbt-rights-votes-boris-johnson-cabinet-reshuffle-a9340141.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717181218/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-lgbt-rights-votes-boris-johnson-cabinet-reshuffle-a9340141.html |archive-date=17 July 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en |issn=1741-9743}}</ref> In February 2023, Badenoch defended Scottish politician Kate Forbes after Forbes said marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Badenoch stated: "I support same-sex marriage and, like anyone, I'm disappointed when anyone disagrees with me. But if you're asking me to condemn someone for their religious views you've failed to understand the basic responsibilities of being minister for equality".{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
==== Transgender rights ==== According to academics at several British universities, Badenoch has promoted anti-transgender views and met with anti-trans groups.<ref name=McLeanStretesky>{{cite journal |last1=McLean |first1=Anna |last2=Stretesky |first2=Paul B. |author-link2=Paul B. Stretesky |title=The Influence of Authoritarian Beliefs on Support for Transgender Rights in the UK |journal=Sociology Compass |volume=19 |issue=7 |date=2025 |doi=10.1111/soc4.70088 |eissn=1751-9020 |article-number=e70088 |doi-access=free |quote=Kemi Badenoch, has expressed anti-trans views, describing trans women as men (Kelleher 2024), whilst also meeting with the anti-trans campaign groups, LGB Alliance and Sex matters.}}</ref><ref name=Duffy>{{cite journal |last=Duffy |first=Sandra |title=Moral panics and legal projects: echoes of Section 28 in United Kingdom transgender discourse and law reform |journal=Gender and Justice |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=2025 |pages=78–99 |doi=10.1332/30333660Y2024D000000008 |url=https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/gj/1/1/article-p78.xml |archive-date=12 June 2025 |access-date=12 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250612152643/https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/gj/1/1/article-p78.xml |url-status=live |url-access=subscription|hdl=1983/f0e7ee80-71c4-416a-aa83-b54e9875e64f |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref name=Pickles>{{cite book |last1=Pickles |first1=J. |last2=Colliver |first2=B. |editor-last1=Garland |editor-first1=J. |editor-last2=Zempi |editor-first2=I. |editor-last3=Smith |editor-first3=J. |chapter=Perpetrators of Transphobic Hate Crime |title=Hate Crime Perpetrators: New Perspectives from Theory, Research and Practice |series=Palgrave Hate Studies |volume=I |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=Cham |year=2025 |pages=113–139 |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-92666-2_6 |isbn=978-3-031-92665-5 }}</ref>
In 2021, ''Vice News'' received leaked audio from 2018 in which Badenoch said "Even when, you know, so, people hear about, you know like the whole bathroom thing, it's actually more of an American thing but they have a similar problem, that, right so now it's not just about being free to marry who you want, you now want to have men using women's bathrooms." She was accused by critics of mocking gay marriage and of transphobia for referring to trans women as "men".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunte |first1=Ben |title=UK Equalities Minister Goes on Anti-LGBTQ Rant in Leaked Audio |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/uk-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-goes-on-anti-lgbtq-rant-in-leaked-audio/ |work=Vice |date=17 September 2021 |access-date=17 September 2021 |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917095541/https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg8znx/uk-equalities-minister-kemi-badenoch-goes-on-anti-lgbtq-rant-in-leaked-audio |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ThePinkNews20210917">{{cite web |last=Wakefield |first=Lily |date=17 September 2021 |title=Tory equalities minister Kemi Badenoch mocks LGBT+ rights and trans people in leaked recording |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2021/09/17/kemi-badenoch-trans-lgbt-rights-tory/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009190701/https://www.thepinknews.com/2021/09/17/kemi-badenoch-trans-lgbt-rights-tory/ |archive-date=9 October 2024 |access-date=17 September 2021 |work=PinkNews}}</ref> A government spokesperson rejected these claims, saying that "This 2018 comment has been taken out of context, with the Minister making a clear point about striking the balance for equality and fairness when there are multiple and often competing demands between different groups. It should not be used to misrepresent her views."<ref name="ThePinkNews20210917" /> In March 2021, Badenoch was encouraged to "consider her position" as an Equalities Minister by Jayne Ozanne, one of a group of three government LGBT advisers who quit their roles due to the decision by the government not to include transgender conversion therapy in its plans to ban gay conversion therapy, with Ozanne describing a speech by Badenoch on the issue as being "appalling" and the "final straw".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Forrest |first1=Adam |date=11 March 2021 |title='Appalling' speech by equalities minister was final straw, says LGBT+ adviser who quit government |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lgbt-conversion-therapy-minister-badenoch-b1815872.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311215059/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lgbt-conversion-therapy-minister-badenoch-b1815872.html |archive-date=11 March 2021 |access-date=12 March 2021 |work=The Independent |issn=1741-9743}}</ref>
As Minister of State for Equalities, Badenoch opposed plans by the Financial Conduct Authority to allow transgender employees to self-identify in the workplace,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hunte |first=Ben |date=14 July 2022 |title=Exclusive: UK Government Pushed City Watchdog to Cancel Trans Inclusion Policy |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/kemi-badenoch-fca/ |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=Vice |language=en |archive-date=15 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715204217/https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7zbmd/kemi-badenoch-fca |url-status=live }}</ref> opposed gender-neutral toilets in public buildings, and has spoken in favour of retaining single-sex spaces such as toilets, professional sports, changing rooms, and domestic violence shelters for women.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Camilla |date=11 July 2022 |title='You can't say that': Civil servants tried to stop Kemi Badenoch's gender-neutral toilet reforms |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/07/11/cant-say-civil-servants-tried-stop-kemi-badenochs-gender-neutral/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716213129/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/07/11/cant-say-civil-servants-tried-stop-kemi-badenochs-gender-neutral/ |archive-date=16 July 2022 |access-date=16 July 2022 |work=The Daily Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |date=2 June 2024 |title=We need to change the law to protect women's spaces |url=https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/we-need-change-law-protect-womens-spaces |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009170051/https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/we-need-change-law-protect-womens-spaces |archive-date=9 October 2024 |access-date=9 October 2024 |website=Kemi Badenoch |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, Badenoch gave a speech before the House of Commons in which she announced regulations stripping the ability of transgender migrants from certain countries to acquire documents in the UK to match those brought from their countries of origin. This was stated as being due to these countries allowing trans people to transition "too easily".<ref name="ThePinkNews20231206">{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Sophie |date=6 December 2023 |title=Kemi Badenoch confirms UK 'blacklist' for countries that allow trans self-ID |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/12/06/trans-gender-recognition-certificate-kemi-badenoch-uk/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US}}</ref> She stated that "It is this government's policy that the UK does not recognise self-identification for the purpose of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate" and that it "should not be possible for a person who does not satisfy the criteria for UK legal gender recognition to use the overseas routes to do so".<ref name="ThePinkNews20231206" />
In December 2023, it was revealed that Badenoch had not met with any major LGBTQ+ rights organisation since becoming Equalities Minister, but had met with anti-transgender groups LGB Alliance and Sex Matters.<ref name=McLeanStretesky/> This revelation came shortly after her Commons statement on revoking recognition of overseas Gender Recognition Certificates.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
In February 2024, Badenoch stated in a letter to a parliamentary committee{{which|date=June 2025}} that children likely to grow up gay may be wrongly medicalised as transgender. She wrote: "Evidence that children likely to grow up to be gay [and be same-sex attracted] might be subjected to conversion practices on the basis of gender identity rather than their sexual orientation…. A young person and their family may notice that they are gender non-conforming earlier than they are aware of their developing sexual orientation. If gender non-conformity is misinterpreted as evidence of being transgender and a child is medically affirmed, the child may not have had a chance to identify, come to terms with or explore a same-sex orientation."{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
Badenoch went on to announce the government's plans to move forward on a conversion therapy ban, while saying that gender-affirming healthcare for young people who question their gender was "a new form of conversion therapy" as, in her view, "we are seeing I would say almost an epidemic of young gay children being told that they are trans and being put on a medical pathway for irreversible decisions and regretting what they have done", further stating that a draft bill would address the concern that clinicians are "fearful of giving honest clinical advice to a child because if they do not automatically affirm and medicalise a child's new gender they will be labelled transphobic".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Adu |first=Aletha |date=6 December 2023 |title=Gender-affirming care for children 'form of conversion therapy', says Badenoch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/06/gender-affirming-care-for-children-form-of-conversion-therapy-says-badenoch |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> She further announced plans to ban social transition in British schools, according to which transgender children would be permitted to self-identity as the gender identity of their choice without parental consent or knowledge.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |last2=Woolcock |first2=Nicola |date=7 December 2023 |title=Kemi Badenoch: 'epidemic' of children being told they're trans |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/schools-face-epidemic-of-children-told-theyre-transgender-badenoch-says-nch0kxkzp |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=The Times |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
In an article in ''The Sunday Times'' in the aftermath of the publication of the Cass Review, an investigation into gender identity services in the NHS, Badenoch wrote that had "those who warned that gender services in the NHS had been hijacked by ideologues been listened to instead of gagged, children would not have been harmed and the Cass review would not have been required. Our responsibility is to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |date=13 April 2024 |title=Gagging of the brave has let gender ideologues seize control |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/gagging-of-the-brave-has-let-gender-ideologues-seize-control-z3srngwdt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005195018/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/gagging-of-the-brave-has-let-gender-ideologues-seize-control-z3srngwdt |archive-date=5 October 2024 |access-date=9 October 2024 |website=The Sunday Times |language=en |issn=0956-1382}}</ref>
After the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled in ''For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers'' in 2025 that the terms "man" and "woman" in the Equality Act 2010 referred to biological sex and not gender or gender identity, Badenoch described the judgment as a "victory for all of the women who faced personal abuse or lost their jobs for stating the obvious", and declared that "the era of Keir Starmer telling us women can have penises has come to an end".<ref name="BBC-News-2025">{{Cite web |date=15 April 2025 |title=Supreme Court backs 'biological' definition of woman |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7pqzk47zo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250416175515/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7pqzk47zo |archive-date=16 April 2025 |access-date=16 April 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 April 2025 |title=Labour Minister Says Tories Should Apologise For Past Pro-Trans Women Stance |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labour-minister-says-tories-apologise-083708730.html |access-date=17 April 2025 |website=Yahoo News |archive-date=17 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417085421/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labour-minister-says-tories-apologise-083708730.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
Badenoch called for a comprehensive review of equality and gender recognition laws, stating: "Biological sex is real. A gender recognition certificate is there to show that someone is now transgender, but that doesn't change their biology." She further emphasized, "The Supreme Court has given a judgment, but I think that we need to update those laws to ensure that they are there to prevent discrimination, not for social engineering."<ref name="GuardianApr17">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/17/supreme-court-ruling-gender-women-transgender-labour-conservatives-uk-politics-latest |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for broader review of equality and gender recognition laws |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 April 2025 |archive-date=17 April 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417074814/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/17/supreme-court-ruling-gender-women-transgender-labour-conservatives-uk-politics-latest|url-status=live}}</ref>
In May 2025, Badenoch reiterated her support for a complete ban on transgender women competing in women's physical sports. Speaking to GB News, she stated: "You shouldn't have men swimming or running against women, we are biologically different, and that's something that needs to be recognised by all the sporting bodies." Badenoch differentiated between physical and non-physical competitions, suggesting that exceptions could be made for activities such as chess where "it's not to do with physical attributes."<ref name="GBNews2025">{{cite news|url=https://www.gbnews.com/politics/kemi-badenoch-trans-women-biological-sex-sport-definition |title=Kemi Badenoch: Trans women should be banned from all female physical sport |work=GB News |date=4 May 2025 |archive-date=17 April 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417160410/https://www.gbnews.com/politics/kemi-badenoch-trans-women-biological-sex-sport-definition|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Maternity pay === In September 2024, while standing to be leader of the Conservative Party, Badenoch was asked if she believed that "maternity pay is excessive". In response, Badenoch answered, "I think it's gone too far, too far the other way in terms of general business regulation, we need to allow businesses, especially small businesses, to make more of their own decisions". Later the same day, during an interview with Sky News, Badenoch stated that maternity pay was "a good thing" and said "I don't think it is excessive", saying that she was speaking about business regulation in general, rather than maternity pay specifically.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Jennifer |date=29 September 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch claims maternity pay remarks were 'misrepresented' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-claims-maternity-pay-remarks-were-misrepresented-13224825 |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=Sky News |archive-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929191854/https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-claims-maternity-pay-remarks-were-misrepresented-13224825 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Economics and class === In a 2024 pamphlet distributed as part of her campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party, Badenoch said that politics has shifted away from class "in the old sense – increasingly, whether you are high income does not drive your voting patterns. Educated voters are moving left, and many private sector voters on average incomes are moving right."<ref name="ConservativeHome20240930">{{Cite web |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |date=30 September 2024 |title=Kemi Badenoch: Conservatism is in crisis, and we need to be serious about getting it back on track |url=https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/30/kemi-badenoch-conservatism-is-in-crisis-and-we-need-to-be-serious-about-getting-it-back-on-track/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=ConservativeHome |archive-date=30 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930171346/https://conservativehome.com/2024/09/30/kemi-badenoch-conservatism-is-in-crisis-and-we-need-to-be-serious-about-getting-it-back-on-track/|url-status=live}}</ref> She also said that a new 'progressive ideology' was on the rise built on "the twin pillars of constant intervention on behalf of protecting marginalised, vulnerable groups, including protecting us from ourselves – and the idea that bureaucrats make better decisions than individuals, or even democratic nation states".<ref name="ConservativeHome20240930" />
Badenoch said that the consequent growth in government regulations and public expenditure cripples economic growth, polarises societies, and leads to a "new and growing bureaucratic class", where "more and more jobs are related not to providing goods and services in the marketplace, but are instead focused around administering government rules."<ref name="ConservativeHome20240930" />
In December 2025, Badenoch proposed a plan to reallocate £17 billion from green energy and research budgets to bolster the UK's military and "accelerate war readiness".<ref>{{cite news |title=Cut green spending to make UK ready for war, Tories say |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kprwgzlm0o |work=BBC News |date=18 December 2025|archive-date=17 December 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251217220857/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kprwgzlm0o|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Awards== In December 2024, Kemi Badenoch was included in the BBC 100 Women 2024 list.<ref name=bbc>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/resources/idt-4f79d09b-655a-42f8-82b4-9b2ecebab611|title=BBC 100 Women 2024: Who is on the list this year?|publisher=BBC|date=3 December 2024|accessdate=3 December 2024 |archive-date=2 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251102151425/https://www.bbc.com/news/resources/idt-4f79d09b-655a-42f8-82b4-9b2ecebab611%7Ctitle=BBC|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Personal life== Badenoch is married to banker Hamish Badenoch; they have two daughters and a son.<ref>{{cite news |last= Geiger |first= Chas |date= 2 November 2024 |title= Kemi Badenoch: Who is new Tory leader and what does she stand for? |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d59k513qgo |work= BBC News |access-date= 7 August 2025|archive-date=21 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241021051221/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d59k513qgo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Joe |date=27 February 2018 |title=Kemi Badenoch: New vice-chairman of the Conservatives talks about her fight to recruit a more diverse range of MPs |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-new-vicechairman-of-the-conservatives-talks-about-her-fight-to-recruit-a-more-diverse-a3777211.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062833/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenoch-new-vicechairman-of-the-conservatives-talks-about-her-fight-to-recruit-a-more-diverse-a3777211.html |archive-date=22 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018 |work=Evening Standard |issn=2041-4404}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |number=1177602553762254848 |title=My husband and I are delighted to announce the birth of our third child, a baby girl born last week. We are thrilled and grateful for the love and support from family, friends, colleagues and constituents |last=Badenoch |first=Kemi |user=KemiBadenoch |date=27 September 2019 |access-date=11 March 2020}}</ref>
Badenoch's husband works for Deutsche Bank<ref name=Eve/><ref name=Ryder/> and was a Conservative councillor from 2014 to 2018 on Merton Borough Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://democracy.merton.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=453|title=Hamish Badenoch|date=4 April 2019 |access-date=4 November 2019|publisher=Merton Council|archive-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404195808/https://democracy.merton.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=453|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Local Elections Archive Project — Village Ward|url=https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/545/|access-date=2 May 2021|website=www.andrewteale.me.uk|archive-date=2 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502233719/https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/545/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also contested Foyle for the Northern Ireland Conservatives at the 2015 general election.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 April 2015 |title=Election 2015: Passionate fight in Foyle constituency |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2015-northern-ireland-32513448 |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-date=30 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130162426/http://www.bbc.com/news/election-2015-northern-ireland-32513448 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Badenoch credits the NHS with preventing her miscarrying her first daughter, having had emergency surgery when she went into labour at twenty weeks.<ref name="Eve" />
She was a board member of the Charlton Triangle Homes housing association until 2016, and was also a school governor at St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark, and the Jubilee Primary School.<ref name="TED2" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Review to Tenants 2016 |url=https://charltontriangle.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016_Charlton_Annual_Review.pdf |publisher=Charlton Triangle Homes|access-date=27 August 2017 |page=7|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827215244/https://charltontriangle.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016_Charlton_Annual_Review.pdf|archive-date=27 August 2017}}</ref>
Badenoch describes herself as an agnostic, who lost her faith in God,<ref name=wheeler>{{cite news | last=Wheeler | first=Brian | title=Kemi Badenoch reveals how she told on exam cheat as teenager | publisher=BBC News | date=7 August 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80d7l03137o}}</ref> but considers herself a cultural Christian,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holl-Allen |first=Genevieve |title=Josef Fritzl case made me reject God, reveals Badenoch |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |date=7 August 2025 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/08/07/kemi-badenoch-josef-fritzl-reject-god/ |archive-date=7 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250807202031/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/08/07/kemi-badenoch-josef-fritzl-reject-god/ }}</ref> and said that her maternal grandfather was a Methodist minister in Nigeria.<ref>{{cite interview|last=Badenoch |first=Kemi|interviewer=Andrew Gimson|date=21 December 2017 |title='I'm not really left-leaning on anything…I always lean right instinctively'|url=https://conservativehome.com/2017/12/21/interview-kemi-badenoch-im-not-really-left-leaning-on-anything-i-always-lean-right-instinctively/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=ConservativeHome}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mbakwe |first=Tola |date=9 July 2022 |title=Former faith minister, Catholic MP in running to replace Boris Johnson |url=https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/former-faith-minister-catholic-mp-in-running-to-replace-boris-johnson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710223559/https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/former-faith-minister-catholic-mp-in-running-to-replace-boris-johnson |archive-date=10 July 2022 |access-date=11 July 2022 |work=Premier Christian News}}</ref>
Badenoch identifies as Yoruba, not Nigerian, stating: "I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where the Islamism is, those were our ethnic enemies".<ref name="Ethnic enemies">{{cite web|first1=Katy|last1=Balls|author-link1=Katy Balls|first2=Michael|last2=Gove|author-link2=Michael Gove|date=14 December 2024|title='I will die protecting this country': Kemi Badenoch on where she plans to take the Tories|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/i-will-die-protecting-this-country-kemi-badenoch-on-where-she-plans-to-take-the-tories/|website=The Spectator|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241215161120/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/i-will-die-protecting-this-country-kemi-badenoch-on-where-she-plans-to-take-the-tories/|archive-date=15 December 2024}}</ref> In August 2025, she said that she had not renewed her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s, and no longer identified as Nigerian.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Ottilie |last=Mitchell |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24z77yg16eo |title=Kemi Badenoch: I don't identify as Nigerian any more |date=2 August 2025 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |accessdate=2 August 2025|archive-date=2 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250802060533/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24z77yg16eo|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist|30em}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons}} {{Wikiquote}} *{{UK MP links |parliament=mrs-kemi-badenoch/4597 |publicwhip=Kemi_Badenoch |theywork=kemi_badenoch}} *{{C-SPAN|112858}}
{{Kemi Badenoch}} {{Navboxes top|title = Offices and distinctions}} {{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=Sir Alan Haselhurst}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for Saffron Walden|years=2017–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Constituency abolished}} {{s-new|constituency}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for North West Essex|years=2024–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Nadhim Zahawi}} {{s-ttl|title=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families|years=2019–2020}} {{s-aft|after=Vicky Ford}} {{s-bef|before=The Baroness Williams of Trafford}} {{s-ttl|title=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities|years=2020–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Herself|as=Minister of State for Equalities}} {{s-bef|before=Simon Clarke}} {{s-ttl|title=Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury|years=2020–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Helen Whately}} {{s-bef|before=Luke Hall|as=Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government|years=2021}} {{s-aft|after=Herself|as=Minister of State for Levelling Up Communities}} {{s-bef|before=Herself|as=Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of State for Levelling Up Communities|years=2021–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Paul Scully}} {{s-bef|before=Herself|as=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of State for Equalities|years=2021–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Amanda Solloway}} {{s-bef|before=Anne-Marie Trevelyan|rows=2}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State for International Trade|years=2022–2023}} {{s-non|reason=Office abolished}} {{s-break}} {{s-ttl|title=President of the Board of Trade|years=2022–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Jonathan Reynolds}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Nadhim Zahawi|as=Minister for Equalities}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Women and Equalities|years=2022–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Bridget Phillipson}} {{s-break}} {{s-new|office}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State for Business and Trade|years=2023–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Jonathan Reynolds}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Angela Rayner}} {{s-ttl|title=Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities|years=2024}} {{s-aft|after=Kevin Hollinrake}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Rishi Sunak}} {{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Opposition|years=2024–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-break}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Rishi Sunak}} {{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Conservative Party|years=2024–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{navboxes bottom}} {{Navboxes top|title = Articles related to Kemi Badenoch}} {{Leaders of the Opposition UK}} {{Leaders of political parties in the United Kingdom}} {{Shadow Great Officers of State}} {{Truss Cabinet}} {{Sunak Cabinet}} {{Sunak Shadow Cabinet}} {{Badenoch Shadow Cabinet}} {{Presidents of the Board of Trade}} {{Ministers for Women and Equalities}} {{Exchequer Secretaries to the Treasury}} {{Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change}} {{Conservative Party Leader}} {{Conservative Party UK MPs}} {{2022 Conservative Party leadership elections}} {{2024 Conservative Party leadership election}} {{Conservative Party (UK)}} {{navboxes bottom}} {{Portal bar|Conservatism|England|London|Politics|United Kingdom}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Badenoch, Kemi}} Category:Kemi Badenoch Category:1980 births Category:21st-century British women engineers Category:21st-century British engineers Category:21st-century English women politicians Category:Alumni of Birkbeck, University of London Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex Category:Articles containing video clips Category:British-Nigerians Category:Black British MPs Category:Black British women politicians Category:British Eurosceptics Category:British agnostics Category:British expatriates in the United States Category:British people of Yoruba descent Category:Conservative Members of the London Assembly Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:English people of Nigerian descent Category:Female members of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Category:Leaders of the Conservative Party (UK) Category:Leaders of the opposition (United Kingdom) Category:Living people Category:London AMs 2012–2016 Category:London AMs 2016–2021 Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:Ministers for women and equalities Category:Politicians from Wimbledon, London Category:Presidents of the Board of Trade Category:Badenoch shadow cabinet Category:The Spectator people Category:UK MPs 2017–2019 Category:UK MPs 2019–2024 Category:UK MPs 2024–present Category:UK councillors 2014–2018 Category:Women councillors in England Category:Women opposition leaders