The former communities minister has emerged as a possible kingmaker in the UK leadership race. Kemi Badenoch might be knocked out in the fourth round but which way her supporters go could seal the fate of Penny Mordaunt and Liz Truss
Kemi Badenoch is at the greatest risk of dropping out in the latest round of voting in the UK leadership race. However, which way her supporters go could decide who will be the next PM. Image courtesy: @KemiBadenoch/Twitter
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Guess who could play a key role in picking the next United Kingdom prime minister is. It’s the “wild card” Kemi Badenoch. The little-known candidate could play kingmaker as the race hots up.
Former finance minister Rishi Sunak has increased his lead in the third round of voting by Conservative lawmakers to pick the next party leader and the country’s prime minister. The winner will succeed the embattled Boris Johnson.
On Monday, Sunak won the support of 115 lawmakers, followed by Penny Mordaunt, who bagged 82 votes. Liz Truss got 71, Kemi Badenoch 58 and Tom Tugendhat was on 31, dropping out as the last-placed candidate. It looks like the Indian-origin MP will make the final two candidates. But the question remains on who will he be up against.
The two candidates predicted for second place did not make as many gains. Mordaunt, a bookies’ favourite, lost a vote and Truss did not win as many as she hoped. This means that Badenoch, who gained ground in the third vote, and her backers could decide who leads the country next.
Who is Kenny Badenoch?
A former communities minister, Badenoch was not a household name before the contest began. Now everyone in the Conservative Party wants to befriend her.
Born in south London’s Wimbledon suburb to Nigerian parents, the 42-year-old grew up in Nigeria and the United States. She returned to the UK as a teenager, aged 16. She worked at a McDonald’s branch while studying and then went on to pursue computer engineering at the University of Sussex.
In the first few years since earning a degree, she worked in the IT and financial sectors. Badenoch ran digital operations for the right-leaning Spectator magazine, the publication which was once edited by Boris Johnson.
Engineering and technology, social mobility and integration are her other areas of interest. She regularly mentors women who wish to pursue careers in technology, according to her website.
When did she foray into politics?
Badenoch was 25 when she joined the Conservative Party. After spending years trying to make it to Parliament, she served as the Conservative spokesperson for the economy in the London Assembly.
In 2017, she was elected as an MP from Saffron Walden, Sussex. In her maiden speech in the House of Commons, she described herself as “to all intents and purposes a first-generation immigrant”.
From left, Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are the final four candidates for leadership of the Conservative party. AP
What are her policies?
Badenoch is an out-and-out Brexiteer, which has won her strong support among Conservative voters. She had called Britain’s vote to leave the European Union “the greatest ever vote of confidence in the project of the United Kingdom”.
During her time as equalities minister, she won praise from those on the right when she challenged the fact that there’s widespread institutional racism in the UK. Often labelled a “culture warrior” – a tag she disputes – she has been vocal on issues like gender-neutral toilets (she is against them), reports BBC.
What are her campaign promises?
Badenoch has become a darling of the right, more so in recent days. She launched her leadership bid with an article in The Times titled “I want to set us free by telling people the truth”. She spoke of lowering taxes to boost growth and productivity and tighten spending and advocated for free speech and free markets.
In the article, the Tory MP once again reiterated that the country was “falsely criticised as oppressive to minorities and immoral because it enforces its own borders”. She claimed that “identity politics is not about tolerance or individual rights, but the very opposite of our crucial and enduring British values”.
When she launched her campaign, Badenoch pasted “men” and “ladies” signs on gender-neutral toilets.
In her speech, she vowed to “discard the priorities of Twitter and focus on people’s priorities instead”, adding, “We have been in the grip of an underlying economic, social, cultural and intellectual malaise,” reports BBC.
In an interview with the radio station LBC, she said that the diverse line-up of contenders to be the next Tory leader proved that the party does not have a problem with racism.
Who is backing her?
Badenoch has created a stir with the votes she has won. Truss pitched herself as the natural candidate for the Tory right but has reasons to worry.
The supporters of Truss and Mordaunt have been trying to woo those who voted for Badenoch, but she has asserted that she was in the race to win.
Badenoch found big support in Micheal Gove, the former community secretary. He said that she could even make the final two after MPs had “buyer’s remorse” for initially supporting other candidates, reports Telegraph.
While Badenoch has made an impact, chances are she would be knocked out in Tuesday’s round. If this happens, who her backers support will decide if Mordaunt or Truss will be up against Sunak.
Even if Badenoch does not make it to the final round, the UK is going to see more of her. She is likely to be awarded a significant Cabinet berth, reports Politico.
It’s not the end then. It could be a new beginning.
With inputs from agencies
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