Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has been making headlines at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, where she has been facing tough questions from the media. The Tory leader has been struggling to revive her party after their historic defeat at the ballot box last July and their subsequent decline in the opinion polls since she became leader last November.
On day three of the conference, Badenoch clashed repeatedly with different broadcasters as she was scrutinized over the Tories’ decline. She appeared frosty and defensive when questioned about her party’s continuing decline, and it seemed like she was trying out a new Conservative tactic: blaming the media.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Badenoch questioned the veracity of a new report from The Guardian which revealed that shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick had complained about a “slum” in Birmingham with “no white faces”. She defended her colleague, saying, “Given that it’s The Guardian, I think I’m going to take some of that with a pinch of salt. They haven’t always been the most accurate newspaper.”
However, the report from The Guardian included a recording of Jenrick’s remarks, making Badenoch’s defense seem weak. She also suggested that the comments may have been taken out of context, saying, “I don’t know what was being discussed before he said that. But in and of itself, it’s a factual statement. If he said he didn’t see another white face, he might have been making an observation. There’s nothing wrong with making observations.”
Badenoch also highlighted the issue of integration into British society by some immigrants, a problem that she and Jenrick both agree needs to be addressed.
Later in the day, Badenoch appeared rather “cross” when speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby. When asked about their right-wing rivals, Reform UK, who are currently leading in the polls, Badenoch responded, “I’m not interested in talking about Nigel Farage. You tell me that people aren’t interested in me. I’m on your show. Ask me about what I think. You spent most of the interview asking about Reform. Reform’s already had their conference, Beth!”
Rigby then asked Badenoch about the possibility of setting up a pact with Reform UK, reminding her that “half of [her] members don’t think [she’s] the right person to lead them into the next election.” Badenoch dismissed this, saying, “Well, I simply don’t believe that,” despite a new YouGov poll saying just that. She also pointed out that polls had suggested she was not going to win the leadership contest last year, only for her to narrowly clinch victory.
A similar spat occurred when the Tory leader was speaking to ITV’s Robert Peston, and she was asked to elaborate on her previous claims that Britain needs a “wholesale new approach to tackling misinformation and bias in our media”. Badenoch referenced the conflict in Gaza, saying, “Quite a lot of the reporting about the conflict in the Middle East has actually not been accurate and I think it’s important that people know what’s going on.”
She went on to explain that she has spoken to people in mourning after last week’s terror attack in Manchester synagogue who fear the way the Middle East conflict is being reported. “They are very worried about a lot of the rhetoric they see on the media. And it’s not just BBC, Al Jazeera, so much BBC Arabic translations actually being sanitised. Very, very hostile, incitement to violence, incitement to murder,” Badenoch claimed.
Meanwhile, BBC political editor Chris Mason put it to Badenoch that “this is a battle for attention and you’re losing”. Badenoch initially agreed, saying, “Yes. That’s right.” But then she suddenly changed her tune, adding, “Well, I’m getting the attention now because your viewers are watching. I’m not losing. I am going to be winning because people can see we’re the only party that can deliver a stronger economy and stronger borders.”
Despite the tough questioning and criticism from the media, Badenoch remained composed and confident in her responses. She showed that she is not afraid to stand up for her party and her beliefs, even when faced with difficult questions.
In her interviews, Badenoch also highlighted the importance of a strong and authentic conservative approach, rather than pandering to popular figures like Nigel Farage. She emphasized
