Kemi Badenoch appointed new Minister for Women and Equalities

I still think calling her views monstrous is hyperbolic

Some are (in my view) pretty monstrous. Being from a seaside area with a family member who has drowned, I think endangering life at sea is an appalling thing to do. And when Labour proposed an amendment to an immigration bill which would prevent enforcement officers from doing so, Badenoch (and her party) rejected the amendment. To me, that is monstrous.

But it doesn’t relate to her current post. I really can’t find anything monstrous in her equal rights voting record.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2021-12-07c.347.0#g347.2

I don't support fracking. But I think those who do tend to believe that energy independence is important enough that it should be allowed.

And they aren't wrong in the sense that not having energy independence has all kinds of very serious repercussions. As we see now.

This is often the right wing response to the kinds of environmental demands that come from progressives - ok, so you want to stop what you think is environmentally destructive, and you want supports for the poor as costs become high. But at the same time you are making demands that we switch to energy sources that will be more expensive, that may reduce productivity. So how are we supposed to pay for everything that you want?

The claim that this is a viewpoint that just is about not caring is really simplistic.

Well, that just seems somewhat vague, I'm afraid. I was hoping you had some specific reason for calling Kemi's views 'monstrous', but so far you're just saying you don't like the far right.

Just off the back of the rape comments on this thread, I was having a bit of a Google and found out she did some research about male victims of rape (not to do a “but what about the MEN”) and lobbied to raise funds for a male rape charity. I think that’s quite “left” and “woke” actually - there’s a huge stigma around male victims of rape and it’s massively under reported. Slightly swayed my opinion of her as judging by how the press report her and her abstentions when voting on social issues, she’s one of the last people I’d expect to be lobbying for a cause like this. www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/kemi-badenoch/male-rape-charity-to-receive-78000 (for anyone who’s interested).

Apologies. My original post was aimed at many more people who were flinging around all sorts of invective. I still think calling her views monstrous is hyperbolic - her views are not extreme or outlandish or evil or demonic.

The far right of the Tory party would remove womens' rights and options in myriad ways in areas of childcare, education, welfare, services, healthcare, abortion etc.

Personally I am happy to express myself the way I do - you can do as you choose. I am not standing for office, I do not need to appeal to anyone.

You can disagree with me, but you keep (deliberately or due to lack of understanding) accusing me of calling her a demon or of calling her monstrous.

I have only said her views are monstrous.

Committing to the 2019 manifesto is the best way Sunak can hold off calls for a general election. He was a senior member of the party at the time, he’s been chosen by elected representatives (rather than Tory members who don’t have to even have the right to vote in the UK). By committing early to the manifesto the party were elected on, I suspect he is hoping to silence those who say changing PM without a GE is undemocratic. And hoping that the recent embarrassing turmoil in the Tory party will be forgotten in two years time. Or maybe I’m just cynical.

Either way, the only serious concern I have regarding Badenoch in this role is the buffer zone vote.

Ha, well, most parties these days are gobalists and the degree of differernce s debatable.

But typically Labour seems to favour using things like social programs to reduce inequality, so more taxes, more social programs. Whereas the more right wing view tends to think that it is better to have somewhat lower taxes, and increase productivity, so more people have jobs.

That's a pretty general statement, there is a large overlap, and of course the devil is in the details.

Okay. That's more reasonable. So, could you specify what it is that Kemi has said/done about services for rape survivors that you object to?

No, I don't personally consider all Tories to be monstrous. I have an opinion of the right hand end of the party and Badenoch is at that end.

I did see Kemi working with an organisation that tackles FGM a while back, although I can't seem to find the link, now. Looked like she was doing good work.

Sunak has committed to the 2019 manifesto, which does not support fracking. As Badenoch has accepted a position in his cabinet, I don’t think we need to worry about her position on fracking.

Good to hear. I really hope they roll back on that.

But her having different views to you doesn't make her monstrous. It just means you disagree. She's not a demon setting out to destroy. You just don't like some of her views.

Is there any need for the hyperbole and vitriol?

And JFC, I repeated 'rape support centres' without playing it back in my head.

You mean support services for victims of rape, I presume.

Yeah, I watched the fracking vote last week. I was wondering whether there was another one. Last week’s was to give the Opposition control of the order paper, which pretty much any governing party in history would vote against. Labour were (cleverly) using a issue which they knew to be unpopular with both voters and Tory MPs (as well as contrary to the 2019 manifesto) to try to bring down the government. And it worked.

Sunak has committed to the 2019 manifesto, which does not support fracking. As Badenoch has accepted a position in his cabinet, I don’t think we need to worry about her position on fracking.

Can you show us where Badenoch has voted for cuts to rape support centres? Or are you just generally saying you find Tories 'monstrous' and more so the further they are to the right of the Tory party?

I've explained I consider her political views to be monstrous - it is pretty obvious waht they are - she is at the right end of the Tory party

What more do you need? I oppose her views on tax, welfare, gay marriage, abortion, environment, education, health care. Cuts to rape support centres, for example, are not something I like.

I also think abstaining says a lot - you run the risk of losing the whip if you vote against the party line, and don’t receive half backlash from the general public if you were to vote in a certain manner. Obviously we can’t know which way she would vote though or what her views are based on abstentions. I think the buffer zone vote says a lot though - and choosing to abstain on crucial votes such as gay marriage in NI.

But you still can't say what makes hrt monstrous other than she's a tory?

@Justjoinedforthis

Agree.

What's her other policies, there are other considerations. Feminism has other issues!

Fracking bill here:

www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-10-19b.748.0

She voted against in the the public order buffer zone vote.

That's enough for me to know that she's not fit for an equalities portfolio.

Fracking ban, Badenoch voted against:

www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2022-10-19&house=commons&number=66

I reject this, personally.

The Tory party has a range from centre right to far right.

I consider Therese Coffey's views to be monstrous too - libertarianism to the extent her policies would result in much more hardship for the poorest. Also Rees-Mogg. Lee Anderson (although he is rather confused). There are quite a lot of them.

The reason I called Badenoch's views monstrous on this thread is the thread is about Badenoch.