Kemi Badenoch - pros and cons

[HonestPayforHonestWork]

I was enjoying reading the thread about KB but it filled up. Quite a few calling her vile and her views abhorrent, but without much further explanation. For example, I’ve heard about her autism views however one poster said they were misrepresented. In what way? For those more politically tuned-in than me, what specifically do you like or dislike about her?

I've had enough of that kind of "interesting" politics.

All politicians are populists then. Some pander to the daily mail types and others pander to the guardian types but they all pander to someone - that's what they do. If there was a war between her and starmer I'd hedge my bets with Kemi - she comes across as strong and capable. Keir looks like he wets the bed. Rightly or wrongly that's all that matters when it comes to elections these days: appearances and public perception. Kemi would beat Keir in a general election - especially now he has thrown all his lefty student population under the bus by raising uni fees. lol labour are the absolute worst.

I think Keir looks the type to stab someone in the back and then calmly walk away like nothing happened.

Nice.

Did you see Labour's election campaign? Full of populist dog whistle policies and soundbites

Such as?

Smash the Gangs is probably the best example
Working people
Tax evasion/tax breaks
Take back control
The grown ups will be in charge
VAT on indy schools being subsidised by state
Son of a toolmaker

Well isn’t this academic as even if the Labour Party are dire, the Tory Party have just been beaten by a bunch of losers?

Kemi Badenoch has got to get over that issue; and gee her party to realise it. They will never win if they keep this narrative of lying godless tax raising socialists. It ignores the actual reason for the loss, which is economic incompetence, and running public services into the ground.

We will find out pretty quickly if she can - it will be the degree to which she can settle an agenda with her colleagues. A few fights with Starmer at PMQs won’t change a thing, even if it’s gratifying to the spirit.

I agree. I’ve never voted Tory and never will but the pp calling her unintelligent is a fool! 😂😂

Jenrick as Justice Secretary, oh the irony!

Simply by being elected Badnoch has exposed the racist views of some labour ministers and supporters who are outraged that a black woman has the temerity not to hold the views they demand she should. Not a peep from the labour leadership about their minister’s racism.

So there’s that…

I quite like her but she is a lightweight in national terms. The comparisons with Thatcher are ridiculous, people forget (or are not aware) just how quick witted and persuasive she was and the power with which she spoke.

Yep. She keeps disagreeing with herself. She's is the gift that keeps on giving.

Absolutely this! I was at a family get together with my siblings in laws, so quite a few late 60s, early 70s, all residents of the south east and all previously Tory voters bar one and not one of them voted for the Conservatives in the last election. One has even become a paid up Lib dem member, all for the same reasons, the move from the centre to the right. These voters want to hear about public services and the economy not endless focus on 'the boats' or worse rowing back on climate change commitments.

Badenoch is Trump politics just a focus on the negative and pessimism.

She may surprise us but what is left of the Conservatives is very right wing. It doesn’t suggest much of a template to move to the centre. When you look at her shadow cabinet it suggests more of the same

@HappiestSleeping "I think she's only a caretaker leader until they regroup in the same way William Hague was. IDS and Michael Howard "

And the way Margaret Thatcher was-she just didn't follow the rules.....🤣

The Conservative party was in much better shape in those days though. It isn't comparable, and none of the candidates are especially capable of getting it back on its feet.

It is a shallow pool. Chris Philp as Home Sec shadow!

I was appalled by her comments on maternity pay and am appalled by her terrible shadow cabinet selections. However she has time to grow into the role and I hope she makes a great success of it (while drifting away from the right and towards the centre right).

I expect nothing less from the communists on the left

Making a brilliantly strong start on her first PMQs.

Great first day, not many can start that well

I had to turn him off, all that jeering, it's repulsive

Maybe he's feeling it after Trump won, or maybe he really is that myopic to think it doesn't matter

She is doing a great job for her first PMQ. Polar opposite from robotic Starmer/Reeves/Raynor/Phillipson.

Really? She was just reading out the questions. She had prepped that he wouldn't confirm the defence spending then when he did she just read out the same response that he hadn't. Confident delivery but hopefully the content will improve with time.