Kemi Badenoch -Positivw role model?

[mids2019]

So the party of Churchill has its first black woman leader. Is this a seminal moment in British history and a powerful symbol about the ambition and aspiration of black women or something to be viewed with caution?

Kemi isn't 'woke' (however that is defined so is that a problem in terms of many young aspirant black women identifying with her?.Does her politics actually in a sense betray how many feel about their experience?

Personally I think the conservative party have made vast strides in terms o inclusivity at some levels but there is something a little jarring about Kemi being surrounded by white wealthy middle aged educated men which is a little jarring.

It depends on the parameters used to define what a positive role model is. Is it success? Unless you want to go into politics yourself, I am not sure any politician should be held up as a positive role model just because they have been successful, since political success in electoral democracies is all about winning popularity contests to gain power and says nothing about what is really worth emulating such as personal integrity and good character. But those are subjective standards based on my own values.

Her election definitely says something about the country - in an ironic way, a woman from a group which Enoch Powell wished to exclude from British society (the New Commonwealth) has become leader of Powell’s party while espousing distinctly Powellian views on policy.

Interesting points. There are some women of colour notably Dawn Butler who are scathing about what they feel is an undermining of her heritage or at least a disconnect to other women of colour.

I think the interesting point is that I suppose in politics as in life you have to maybe compromise on your views and maybe even identity to make it to the top. I suppose Kemi's views on subjects like colonialism will raise hackles from left wing commentators and I wonder if she can be more vocal on controversial subjects like white privilege simply because of her ethnicity?

I think she has very successfully used hot button topics in the culture wars to get recognition (notoriety?) which has helped with her political success, regardless of its impact on members of society who are actually affected by this issue.

Now she has gotten to the top of her party, it will be interesting to see if she continues along this path in a bid to win political power for the party (thus potentially shifting the whole country further and further in a direction of divisiveness as leader of the opposition since the culture wars are extremely divisive) as she did to gain personal power for herself within the party, or if she will simmer down a bit and focus on pressing issues affecting the population - primary among which are the economy, the cost of living crisis and the state of public services. Given that it was her party that has been in power for the last decade and a half and been managing the country up until fairly recently (and so can take responsibility for the state of affairs), I suspect she will take the former course, the recourse of lazy politicians to divisive culture wars rhetoric, but maybe I will be wrong and being in opposition will leave her free to give bold policy ideas and she surprises us all. Although all her bold policy ideas which I have heard up to this point have also been quite dangerous and regressive ones.

I don’t think she has necessarily compromised her views on ethnicity or her identity to make it to the top, I think she believes all the controversial things she says. She doesn’t believe in the idea of the concept of white privilege.

I’m also not sure that her ethnicity makes it easier for her to say the controversial things she does on race and ethnicity. Her opponent in this political race, Robert Jenrick, spoke equally controversially and he is white. Nigel Farage speaks controversially all the time. People came out to march in the street in support of ‘Tommy Robinson’, who is constantly saying egregious things. I think it’s just the times we are living in where offensive discourse has become socially acceptable again because of the backlash against political correctness which is represented by the so called ‘war on woke’.

Do you think the racist element of conservative voters will be out off the conservatives and go to reform or the like? Maybe it's a good thing that this will act to dissuade racists from the concervatives?

Yes, from reading the responses to a lot of the news reports, there has been a sizeable chunk of statements from racists saying she could never represent them and they are off to join Reform. I don’t know who that is good for, I guess it depends on how the Conservative Party choose to respond to this? If they choose to ignore them and move back to the centre and focus on a more positive, forward looking message then it could be good for them and the country as a whole, but if they lose their nerve and decide to perpetually court the Reform vote like they did with UKIP then it would be very bad (we have Brexit and its fall out as an example of how the extreme nationalist minority party could set the agenda with the Conservatives in opposition - the tories committed to the referendum as a manifesto pledge in the election that brought them back into power). The things that they would have to promise to appease the Reform supporters do not bear thinking about.

Surely this leadership contest was for the person to get kicked out after losing the next election, if they manage to stay that long? The smart ones such as Hunt are waiting for the next leadership challenge, which will be for the person to become PM.

True, but politics is so unpredictable! Sometimes people bide their time so long that they end up missing opportunities.

Do you think the racist element of conservative voters will be out off the conservatives and go to reform or the like?

Some will, but many others will stay because she legitimises their views. She has not compromised her identity or views in anyway because she truly believes the things she says. Politically she comes from the hard right of the Conservative Party socially and economically. As a black woman I find many of the things she says abhorrent.

Irrespective of race I don’t consider her a role model and am braced for more caustic and debased discourse of politics as a result of her election.

So far she has been a Member of London Assembly, an MP and now leader of a major party so she has achieved a lot on merit, by of her own efforts. She has had support from her husband and thinks of her children.
She is therefore a positive example.
To go on to greatness as a politician will be different, she will have to formulate policies that are accepted by a large proportion of people and she will have to remain in charge or near the top for a few years. We shall see. . . . . . .

She is not a positive role model for many black women. There is not much to admire, even a clock is right twice a day.

I feel like her Preti Patel and Suella have not helped their few BAME country men or women. They may have broken a political glass ceiling including Rishi. But I’m not sure their politics is BAME positive.

I feel the right and the Tory party have encouraged the riots that occurred in the summer.

That should be a stopped clock...

Kemi has done extremely well to get to where she has, and on that front she absolutely should be congratulated.

However she cannot be a positive role model for Black people when her beliefs are so harmful:

• Kemi does not believe in racism, Black people just need to work harder
• Kemi believes colonisation was good for the natives of the countries taken over
• Kemi does not believe in reparations
• Kemi believes statutory maternity pay is excessive (circa £180 per week)

White supremacy ideals can rest easy in Kemi's hands, and we can look forward to a lurch to the right, legitimised by a Black woman.

I think racist white people will use her to legitimise their views. She'll enjoy the power for a while but will get a massive shock when those same white people will discard her age hang her out to dry the second she's no longer of use to them.

I do not think of her as a positive role model for black women, the opposite in fact. I find most of her opinions to be very dismissive of many black people's experiences in this Country. She will be used to actively harm black people, as far as I am concerned.

I really hope this happens.

I think we need to move away from this idea that we are all representative of each other because of our race or ethnicity. We have thankfully moved beyond that. Yes it's hugely encouraging that a black woman (and a dark skinned black woman with a traditionally black hairstyle etc) is in a position of immense power. It sends a powerful message. However I really like that Kemi is not about identity politics. Black people don't have to have the same political ideas and values and this is what her opponents hate - that she doesn't toe the line and play into the "we are victims of racism and need to be compensated and helped". She has taken her own power, she has chosen not to be a victim and this is the main reason she is an excellent role model- whether you agree with her political views or not.

Choosing not to be a victim by becoming a bully in a bid to take your power is not necessarily a good example of something to aspire to though.

I’m no victim and I was unaware there was a playbook on what my beliefs should be as a black woman. No need to enlighten me as I’m happily living my successful life with my dark skin and occasional braids.

I disagree with Kemi Badenoch because of her hard right policy stances in the same way I disagree with Nigel Farage or Richard Tice. Her obsession with stoking and fighting culture wars and raging against the pernicious danger of critical race theory may have smoothed her path to a powerful job but she has not “taken her power”.

No one needs to agree with her. It's a separate point that it's great to see a black woman in a powerful position and not because of tokenism as often seen on the left, plus she doesn't make a big deal of her race either. This is what is so laudable about KB.

Respectfully I don’t understand the premise of your original comment in that case. There is no black hive mind to move away from. Kemi Badenoch is being criticised, or not cerebrated, by some because of her policies and views.

It’s ironic that she is being suggested as a role model simply because of who she is - her skin tone and her hairstyle. Is that not a prime example of the identity politics that you and she rejects?

Well said@Whoyergonnacall .

Kemi isn't a role model to me. She sucks up to White men - that's how she's gotten where she is. Albeit she's a stooge really - Tory fans are already using her as a 'gotcha' 'See, the Tories are progressive!' & implying that we are SUPPOSED to like her because she is Black. They need to mind their own business. We aren't to be told what and how we must think

Those she sucks up to can and will make her or break her. But the Glass Cliff awaits her anyway so, what odds. It'll be mildly interesting when that happens but that's all.

She is a useful tool, and no doubt she knows this, or should do. It is a shame.