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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

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noworklifebalance · 13/05/2026 15:41

Yes, I was looking for a thread about this.
She was witty, engaging, natural and on point.
I always caveat this with that it’s much easier being in opposition, as Labour have found out , but she just gets better and better.

ETA - I am a floating voter and haven’t voted Tory since before Johnson

Greyblankie · 13/05/2026 15:42

She’s brilliant, I love listening to her speak and I hope she manages to get the Tories back to where we need them to be

reachoutandtouch · 13/05/2026 15:51

noworklifebalance · 13/05/2026 15:41

Yes, I was looking for a thread about this.
She was witty, engaging, natural and on point.
I always caveat this with that it’s much easier being in opposition, as Labour have found out , but she just gets better and better.

ETA - I am a floating voter and haven’t voted Tory since before Johnson

Edited

Are you me?!!! It’s also the first time for me I’ve been tempted to vote that way for years but I like her decisiveness and straight talking.

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 13/05/2026 15:55

She needs to bring back to kind of people who left or were chucked out after Brexit. They seem like bloody titans now compared to the shitshows we've had since. They were just normal, Centre Right politicians.

PinkPonyAnonymous · 13/05/2026 15:56

😂

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 16:04

I mean, listening to Starmer speak now he sounds like a deflated balloon- no sense of leadership, direction of anything! Or Ed Davey - everyone’s left😂

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MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:06

So why did the Tories do so abysmally in last week's elections?

LeavingNoNotice · 13/05/2026 16:07

No need for "potential". She is a LEADER and personally I am glad to see her growing in other peoples perpectives
I love kemi!

xILikeJamx · 13/05/2026 16:14

She is hopeless and the Tories will continue into obscurity with people of her calibre in charge. The fact that there's anything positive to say about her just outlines how disastrous the people who came before her were

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:15

I don't like her politics but I think she's a good politician.
She's not a leader though. Her party doesn't like her, the media doesn't like her and the voters don't like her.

People want a Boris or a Nigel or a Tony.

ilovesooty · 13/05/2026 16:18

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 13/05/2026 15:55

She needs to bring back to kind of people who left or were chucked out after Brexit. They seem like bloody titans now compared to the shitshows we've had since. They were just normal, Centre Right politicians.

She's got no time for the centre right or one nation Tories. She's made that abundantly clear.

EasternStandard · 13/05/2026 16:23

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:15

I don't like her politics but I think she's a good politician.
She's not a leader though. Her party doesn't like her, the media doesn't like her and the voters don't like her.

People want a Boris or a Nigel or a Tony.

Her party don’t hate her, it’s the opposite. She polls higher than the other leaders too.

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:24

EasternStandard · 13/05/2026 16:23

Her party don’t hate her, it’s the opposite. She polls higher than the other leaders too.

I didn't say they hated her. I didn't even say they dislike her.

Greyblankie · 13/05/2026 16:25

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 16:04

I mean, listening to Starmer speak now he sounds like a deflated balloon- no sense of leadership, direction of anything! Or Ed Davey - everyone’s left😂

Edited

Must admit I did laugh when Starmer thanked for her generous and cheerful speech 😂 and called her a ray of sunshine 😂

She wipes the floor with him as soon as she opens her mouth

EasternStandard · 13/05/2026 16:27

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:24

I didn't say they hated her. I didn't even say they dislike her.

You posted they don’t like her, that’s not true. They’re happy with her rn, you can tell in interviews.

And on personal polling she does better than all the men.

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.

Mischance · 13/05/2026 16:31

The country does not need saving from extremism and bankruptcy.

It needs a sense of community, of working together, of caring for those who are disadvantaged, of pulling together, and to get away from the cult of individualism and relentless competition that has split communities and fermented discontent. This is where extremism is fostered. This is wherevyears of Tory rule have got us. Starmer cannot turn this round on a whim. It is work in progress.

FlyingApple · 13/05/2026 16:32

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

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:32

EasternStandard · 13/05/2026 16:27

You posted they don’t like her, that’s not true. They’re happy with her rn, you can tell in interviews.

And on personal polling she does better than all the men.

They're happy with her for now because nobody wants her job right now.

EasternStandard · 13/05/2026 16:33

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:32

They're happy with her for now because nobody wants her job right now.

I doubt it. But really if you want an unhappy party there’s a more obvious one.

Greyblankie · 13/05/2026 16:33

FlyingApple · 13/05/2026 16:32

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

Nah her and Nigel would clash like hell.

ilovesooty · 13/05/2026 16:33

I don't think she cares about the disadvantaged either.

Greyblankie · 13/05/2026 16:34

ilovesooty · 13/05/2026 16:33

I don't think she cares about the disadvantaged either.

Well somebody needs to care about the middle classes.

ilovesooty · 13/05/2026 16:36

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:32

They're happy with her for now because nobody wants her job right now.

Jenrick wanted it until he thought Reform would serve his interests better. She wouldn't even be leader if Cleverly's supporters hadn't screwed up the vote.

Whysnothingsimple · 13/05/2026 16:36

MiaKulper · 13/05/2026 16:06

So why did the Tories do so abysmally in last week's elections?

centre politics is currently out of favour

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