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Original poster

AIBU to think Kemi’s speech showed real leadership potential?

155 replies

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 15:38

Just listening to her speech. She’s badass, seems to know and understand the mood of the country - she could very well be this country’s saviour from extremism and bankruptcy

OP posts:
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MiaKulper · 14/05/2026 13:04

She'd be a natural shoe like a Birkenstock or Barefoot?

Alexandra2001 · 14/05/2026 12:39

FlyingApple · 13/05/2026 16:32

I really like Kemi, wish she'd join reform.

She'd be a natural shoe, just like Braverman or Jenrik, capable of changing her tune to suit her audience.

Farage backed Liz Truss, so did Badenoch....

...such is her grasp of economics.

EmailsaysOOO · 14/05/2026 12:37

After COVID costs, and the size of the benefits bill, I can't see how any party is going to change the route to bankruptcy. Not that I'm an economic whizz kid, it just seems as though it's unavoidable.

Thatsenoughnowmr · 14/05/2026 12:32

shortsaint · 13/05/2026 19:12

She doesn’t have a chance - she’s a woman, black - how would this sit in Middle England? Really?

And the implication she could join Racist Reform is preposterous!

I am no Tory but I do wish they would get their act together though.

What are you on about
She stands an excellent chance.
Middle England is not racist..if that's what your implying
She's our best bet for the next PM IMHO

MiaKulper · 14/05/2026 11:28

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 13/05/2026 23:54

She always made a point of fussing Larry the cat as well (as did Iohn Major with Larry’s predecessor) - usually a sign of a decent person 😬

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Sure.

AIBU to think Kemi’s speech showed real leadership potential?
ChicPlayer · 14/05/2026 08:21

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 13/05/2026 23:54

She always made a point of fussing Larry the cat as well (as did Iohn Major with Larry’s predecessor) - usually a sign of a decent person 😬

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Not sure you could call the hostile environment or "go home" vans being driven around London the hallmarks of a decent person but at least she was kind to cats!

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 13/05/2026 23:54

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 23:27

I liked May. Everything seemed to be against her and she wasn't charismatic enough.
She could have been a likeable liar and she'd have been fine - the Party Conservative that came after her...

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She always made a point of fussing Larry the cat as well (as did Iohn Major with Larry’s predecessor) - usually a sign of a decent person 😬

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 23:27

User1786 · 13/05/2026 22:21

It does seem that way nowadays. I prefer serious politicians. I liked May and Major!

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I liked May. Everything seemed to be against her and she wasn't charismatic enough.
She could have been a likeable liar and she'd have been fine - the Party Conservative that came after her...

itsnotallaboutyouyousee · 13/05/2026 22:47

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:53

Can you back up any of those claims? It all sounds highly misogynistic-does she not smile enough?

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Labour can't cope with a female leader. They're fundamentally misogynistic, as demonstrated many times, but a clear manifestation of it is the fact they've never had a female leader.

Probably some thing to do with their history and background with the trade unions as founders, trade unions are deeply sexist. Given trade union affiliates have a vote for labour leader as well as party members, it's probably had significant influence. But I digress.

https://newsocialist.org.uk/sexism-trade-unions/

“Who is not here? Who is quiet? Who is unhappy?”

by Malone // <p>On sexism in the trade unions</p>

https://newsocialist.org.uk/sexism-trade-unions/

Tel12 · 13/05/2026 22:24

I think that generally she sounds wooden, like she's reading off a script.

User1786 · 13/05/2026 22:21

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 22:19

The general idea is that the party leader should come across as pub-able and clubbable.

The likes of Johnson and Forage portray that image.
Women generally don't.

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It does seem that way nowadays. I prefer serious politicians. I liked May and Major!

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 22:19

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:53

Can you back up any of those claims? It all sounds highly misogynistic-does she not smile enough?

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The general idea is that the party leader should come across as pub-able and clubbable.

The likes of Johnson and Forage portray that image.
Women generally don't.

Jinglejangle2525 · 13/05/2026 22:14

Yes! I like her. I just think she’s wasted as I can’t see many giving the tories another shot anytime soon. Out of all the leaders she is the one I like the most.

nomas · 13/05/2026 22:10

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:48

There was something the other day where Andy Burnham was sat next to Starmer looked like twins, even down to the way they sat, just Andy had darker hair. I said to my DH they must churn these people out of a factory

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As if the Tories don’t look alike as well. Politicians being mainly white is not new news.

User1786 · 13/05/2026 22:09

harrassedmum · 13/05/2026 21:51

Yeah that’s how see her as well. I think she sounds out of her depth whenever she speaks

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I agree. I heard the speech live and was cringing. One sound bite and quip after another but no content. But I guess looking at the local elections, that is exactly what the public want

Cheesipuff · 13/05/2026 22:08

I watched it on YouTube -I was laughing out loud it was brilliant and the faces on the Labour benches were so grim - she nailed a lot of things -but then it’s easy to be smart in opposition - as Labour found out.

MyLimeGuide · 13/05/2026 22:01

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 20:58

I believe they did.

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Oops my mistake i mis read the message as the GE 🙃

BIossomtoes · 13/05/2026 21:58

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:53

Can you back up any of those claims? It all sounds highly misogynistic-does she not smile enough?

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It’s an opinion.

Original poster
Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:53

AStonedRose · 13/05/2026 20:26

Look at the polls. Look at the results of the recent local elections. The last Conservative government was the final one ever. Politics have changed, and they're goners.

And I don't like her. She comes across as nasty and carping, and incapable of either passion or nuance. To call her a pound shop Thatcher is an insult to pound shops.

Can you back up any of those claims? It all sounds highly misogynistic-does she not smile enough?

OP posts:
harrassedmum · 13/05/2026 21:51

LilyCanna · 13/05/2026 16:29

Hmm, I didn’t hear her speech today but I’ve always thought her clueless, inept, and far more interested in pulling the Tories rightwards towards Reform than being the kind of strong Centre Right party that could be a bulwark against them.

Yeah that’s how see her as well. I think she sounds out of her depth whenever she speaks

Original poster
Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 21:48

Sesma · 13/05/2026 21:41

The bit about the hair was funny, I had only said to DH a couple of weeks ago about them all having the same hair style, it must be a requisite of the Labour front bench

There was something the other day where Andy Burnham was sat next to Starmer looked like twins, even down to the way they sat, just Andy had darker hair. I said to my DH they must churn these people out of a factory

OP posts:
Jane379 · 13/05/2026 21:45

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 15:38

Just listening to her speech. She’s badass, seems to know and understand the mood of the country - she could very well be this country’s saviour from extremism and bankruptcy

I don't like her much at all but as a Labour voter, unless someone sensible like Shabana takes the helm, I'm voting Tory. I will vote anyone centrist or reasonably centrist at this point to keep Reform & Restore out. I'm pretty sure the Tories will be working very hard to effectively address stuff that's attracting people to Reform & Restore , and frankly they might well be helped by the fact that Reform is looking increasingly like a hub of disaffected ex-Tories.

Sesma · 13/05/2026 21:41

The bit about the hair was funny, I had only said to DH a couple of weeks ago about them all having the same hair style, it must be a requisite of the Labour front bench

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 21:40

The Tories did badly because their votes went to Reform

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