Tag Archives: kemi badenoch

‘Tone Deaf!’ Tories Slammed After Strategy Chief Claims Party Has ‘Done The Apologies’

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The Conservatives have been accused of being “tone deaf” after the party’s strategy chief claimed they have “done the apologies”.

According to The Telegraph, a leaked recording has revealed that a top ally of leader Kemi Badenoch, Baroness Maclean, told supporters the Tories have “done the mea culpas” now.

Speaking to the Conservative Women’s Organisation on June 18, she said the last government had a “tendency to make announcements without thinking through how they would be delivered.”

But, Maclean – who ran Kemi Badenoch’s leadership campaign – claimed the Tories will now be able to move forward with new policies and rebuild their reputation.

“We’ve done the mea culpas, we’ve done the apologies, we’ve done all that,” she said in the recording.

The Tories were in power for 14 years until they were unceremoniously kicked out of 10 Downing Street in last July’s general election.

Their historic defeat saw them reduced to just 121 MPs.

A year on, the party continue to decline in the polls as voters repeatedly punish them for their time in government.

Pollsters at Ipsos found the Tories were on just 15% in June, a distant third behind their right-wing rivals Reform (34%) and Labour (25%).

The Telegraph’s report comes after Badenoch issued an apology to business leaders, promising they were the “natural party of business”.

She added that she was “sorry if at any time over the last 14 years we did not seem like that.”

Responding to the leaked recording, Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves slammed the Tories for being “out of touch”.

She said: “It shows just how out of touch the Tories are that they believe they have said sorry for their 14 years of failure in government.

“The Conservatives crashed the economy and left working people picking up the tab with sky-high mortgages and rocketing bills. Yet they haven’t apologised even once for their dismal record.

“The Tories’ attitude to the mess they made is completely tone deaf. It’s the same old Tories – they haven’t learned a thing.”

Similarly, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The Conservatives are completely deluded if they think the public have forgiven or forgotten the mess they’ve left behind.

“This is a slap in the face for families still paying out more for their mortgage because Liz Truss tanked the economy.

“Kemi Badenoch should urgently confirm whether she agrees with her own senior official on this, or if she will properly apologise to all those who suffered due to years of Conservative chaos under the government in which she served.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch

via Associated Press

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Kemi Badenoch Slammed For ‘Politicising’ Grooming Gangs With Press Conference

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Kemi Badenoch has been called out for “politicising” the grooming gangs after holding a new press conference on the scandal.

The Conservative leader and the shadow home secretary Chris Philp sat on a panel with some of the victims’ family members on Tuesday.

The meeting was a response to Labour’s sudden decision to call a national inquiry on grooming gangs.

The move stunned Westminster as the government previously accused any politicians who called for another probe of “jumping on the far-right bandwagon”.

But Keir Starmer claimed to have changed his mind over the weekend after an independent report from Baroness Louise Casey on child sexual exploitation recommended another inquiry.

The Conservatives have subsequently seen this as a victory on their campaigning, and called on Starmer to apologise for his past remarks – while somehow still promising to support the government with the new probe.

Then today, Badenoch suggested grooming gangs should not be a politicised issue at her press conference.

“I do think we should take the politics out of it,” she said to reporters.

Moments later, she attacked Labour again, saying: “Who was it that said when we raised this issue that we were pandering to the far right?

“That’s what brought the politics into it. Who was it that said that this was dog whistle politics? It was Keir Starmer and his ministers.”

Badenoch then claimed she had separated herself from the political issues, reminding those present that she was at a press conference with survivors of the scandal – and claimed she would only do politics in the Commons.

She said: “When I’m in the Houses of Parliament, when I’m in the Commons, I will do politics. And I think that it is wrong for people to tone police those who are pointing out when something has gone wrong.”

Badenoch’s press conference was also arranged at the same time as Casey herself was giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee about the report.

Casey said on Monday that she was “disappointed” by the Tory leader’s reaction in the Commons to the grooming gangs report.

“I just felt, dare I say it, the opposition could have just been a bit, “yes, we will all come together behind you”. Maybe there is still time for that,” Casey told BBC Newsnight.

So when Badenoch used her press conference on Tuesday to lash out again at the government, she quickly attracted criticism on social media, with many users describing her conference as “disingenuous” and “deeply uncomfortable”.

Kemi Badenoch having a press conference on grooming gangs, and declaring this to be not political, would be a lot more convincing if this were a /cross-party/ press conference.As it is this performative ‘we’re on your side’ exercise is coming across as disingenuous.

— Rallicat (@rallicat.fun) 2025-06-17T11:07:23.398818Z

The absolute chutzpah of Kemi Badenoch holding a press conference with victims of sex trafficking and bemoaning lack of progress at the VERY SAME TIME that Baroness Casey is presenting her findings and, notably, actions/next steps following her rapid 3 month report. Wind your neck back in, Kemi luv.

— Stephsimone (@stephsimone.bsky.social) 2025-06-17T11:02:06.303Z

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Could Boris Johnson Really Ride To The Tories’ Rescue By Making A Dramatic Return To Politics?

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Few political utterances have been as over-analysed as Boris Johnson’s final words as prime minister in the House of Commons.

“Mission largely accomplished – for now,” the then Tory leader told MPs on the day he left Downing Street, before adding: “Hasta la vista, baby.”

The literal translation of that Spanish phrase, which was made famous by Arnold Shwarzenegger in ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, is “see you later”.

What did Johnson mean, numerous political commentators have pondered. Was it a typically flamboyant farewell, or was he giving notice that he would one day return to No.10?

The latter question seemed to be answered in the negative when, in 2023, he dramatically resigned as a Tory MP after the Commons privileges committee found him guilty of lying to parliament over the partygate scandal.

However, he did hint at a future return to the green benches by saying: “It is very sad to be leaving parliament, at least for now…”

With the Tories now fourth in the opinion polls, and Kemi Badenoch’s struggles as Conservative leader continuing, rumours are once again swirling at Westminster that Johnson is eyeing a comeback so he can revive his party’s fortunes.

The former PM did nothing to dampen such speculation by making a headline-grabbing intervention on Monday condemning Keir Starmer’s deal with the EU.

Starmer was, Johnson opined, merely “the orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels”.

His remarks were lapped up by the Tory-supporting press, who found less space to report on Badenoch’s own, more muted, reaction to the PM’s deal.

Tim Montgomerie, the former Tory who defected to Reform UK last year, then set more hares running when he told Times Radio that Johnson was very much on manoeuvres.

He said: “A big beast of the jungle, namely Boris Johnson, is definitely on the march. He’s always wanted to come back, but it’s in more advanced stages than most of us have realised up until now.”

Johnson, his supporters believe, is the only man who can take on and defeat Nigel Farage’s Reform, thereby allowing the party to then turn its fire on Keir Starmer and Labour.

HuffPost UK has been taking the temperature of senior Tory figures to gauge whether there is any appetite for Johnson’s return.

One veteran MP said: “He had his go. He blew it. Unlike Churchill, he won’t be back.

“Even his videos now look passe. Boris is the past not the future, whatever his lieutenants hope for or might want to spin.”

Johnson supporters were buoyed by recent polling by the More in Common think-tank which suggested the Tories would be leading in the polls if Johnson was leader again.

Speculation is also rife in Westminster that some Conservative MPs would even be willing to give up their seats to allow Johnson to run for parliament again.

A friend of Johnson told HuffPost UK that the main stumbling block to his return is his fraught relationship with his former colleagues.

“There’s obviously a Boris-shaped hole at the heart of British politics – we need someone with his energy, his passion and his true belief in the future of Britain,” the friend said.

“If we had a presidential system in this country it would be much easier to see him coming back, but the only way back for him is via the Conservative Party, and it was a really bad relationship at the end.”

“He had his go. He blew it. Unlike Churchill, he won’t be back.”

It is easy to forget the circumstances in which Johnson found himself having to vacate No.10 less than three years after leading the Tories to an 80-seat Commons majority.

Dogged by partygate, the final straw came with his handling of the scandal surrounding Chris Pincher, the former Tory deputy chief whip who was accused of sexual harassment.

Dozens of Johnson’s own ministers resigned in protest, forcing him to fall on his sword.

“They took him down and as that’s the only route back for him I don’t think there’s any prospect of him doing it,” said the Johnson ally. “It was a very bruising experience for him.”

He added: “Could Boris come back? Yes, definitely. Plenty of Tory MPs would offer their seat to him if he let it be known he wants to come back, but if he thinks it through, he’d realise that it would mean having to lead the parliamentary party that took him out, and I’m not sure he has the appetite for that.”

But another senior Tory was dismissive of the prospect of a Johnson return.

“In a crowded field of irrelevant former MPs he has to be pretty much at the top,” she said. “The country has changed and moved on and anyone who thinks they have a safe seat these days needs to give themselves a shake.”

Polling released by Ipsos this week contained good and bad news for Johnson.

Johnson has the second-highest favourability rating of any UK politician, with 26%. He is only beaten by Nigel Farage, who is on 31%.

However, more than half the public – 52% – have an unfavourable view of him, demonstrating just how divisive he remains with voters.

Keiran Pedley, director of UK politics at Ipsos, told HuffPost UK: “While Boris Johnson still has his fans, there are signs he might not be the election-winning weapon he once was.

“Also, in practical terms, any comeback would need him to deal with the legacy of partygate and immigration numbers under his watch.

“That said, if the Conservative Party continues to struggle, you would not be surprised if some Tory MPs took a good look at him anyway.”

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that if Boris Johnson really is the answer to the Tories’ problems, the party is in an even worse position than anyone possibly imagined.

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Kemi Badenoch’s Popularity Hits New Low As Tory Crisis Deepens

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Kemi Badenoch’s popularity has hit a new low as she struggles to turn around the Tories’ fortunes, according to a new poll.

The Ipsos survey shows that just 17% of the public have a favourable view towards her.

That is the lowest ever recorded for her by the pollster, and a worse rating than both Boris Johnson (26%) and Rishi Sunak (21%).

Meanwhile, 49% of voters have an unfavourable view of her, giving her a net score of minus 32.

The most popular politician in the country, according to the poll, is Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has a favourability rating of 31%.

Boris Johnson is second, followed by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey on 25% and Keir Starmer on 23%.

Robert Jenrick, who Badenoch beat to the Tory leadership last year, has a favourability rating of just 16%, the same as chancellor Rachel Reeves.

In a further blow for Badenoch, just 20% of the public have a favourable view of the Conservative Party, putting them behind Reform, the Greens, the Lib Dems and Labour.

The Tories’ unfavourability rating of 56% is also far worse than any of their rival’s.

The findings come after a YouGov poll earlier this week put the Tories in fourth place behind Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK Politics at Ipsos, said: “While Labour has seen a slight bump in favourability, most people still think the country is heading in the wrong direction and are critical of the prime minister and chancellor.

“In contrast, Nigel Farage and his party continue to be buoyed by very high approval ratings among their own base, even though they are more divisive among Labour, Lib Dem and Green supporters.

“The Conservatives, though, face perhaps the toughest picture, with Kemi Badenoch’s rating dipping to its lowest level as Conservative leader and the party’s overall favourability continuing to be the lowest of any party polled.

“The Conservatives are finding it particularly difficult to rebuild after their losses in the 2024 election, but both the main two parties are struggling with public disillusionment with the established political order, and a potential appetite for alternative voices in British politics from both sides of the spectrum.”

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Kemi Badenoch Humiliated As Shadow Minister Breaks Ranks To Praise UK-US Trade Deal

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Kemi Badenoch has been embarrassed after one of her shadow cabinet broke ranks with her to praise the US-UK trade deal.

Andrew Griffith, the shadow trade secretary, said the agreement “will be welcomed by exporting businesses”.

His intervention came just minutes after Badenoch said the UK had been “shafted” by Donald Trump.

Under the terms of the deal, import tariffs on British steel and aluminium being sold to America will be reduced from 25% to zero.

Tariffs on a maximum of 100,000 British cars being exported to the US will also be cut from 27.5% to 10%.

In addition, farmers in America and Britain will be able to sell beef into each other’s countries. However, the ban on hormone-treated beef coming into the UK will stay in place.

Keir Starmer said it was a “historic” deal that will save thousands of British jobs.

But posting on X, Badenoch condemned the agreement, referring referring to a US government graphic showing that, overall, the UK had cut tariffs on American imports while America has trebled those on British goods.

Badenoch said: “When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. We cut our tariffs — America tripled theirs.

“Keir Starmer called this ‘historic.’ It’s not historic, we’ve just been shafted.”

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When Labour negotiates, Britain loses.

We cut our tariffs — America tripled theirs.

Keir Starmer called this ‘historic.’ It’s not historic, we’ve just been shafted! https://t.co/hWzoCAGcKx

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) May 8, 2025

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When Labour negotiates, Britain loses.

We cut our tariffs — America tripled theirs.

Keir Starmer called this ‘historic.’ It’s not historic, we’ve just been shafted! https://t.co/hWzoCAGcKx

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) May 8, 2025

But Griffith said: “The reduction in tariffs announced today will be welcomed by exporting businesses. The ability to strike our own free deals is a Brexit benefit and I hope this moves us conclusively into an era where this government is committed to preserve that freedom.

“Conservatives have been consistent in their support for trade agreements and the reduction of tariffs and today is the continuation of a process which started under the first Trump presidency.”

Labour leapt on the Tory disarray, posting on X: “Your own shadow trade secretary has rightly welcomed the deal Kemi Badenoch.

“Keir Starmer’s Labour government has negotiated and secured an historic UK-US trade deal. Kemi Badenoch can’t even negotiate with her own shadow cabinet.”

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