Kemi Badenoch has revealed she has faced a surge of racist abuse since becoming the first black woman to lead the Conservative Party, describing the attacks as “hysterical” and rooted in disbelief at her success. Speaking to the Sunday Times, the Tory leader said she had been taken aback by the level of hostility, much of it online, involving “ethno-nationalist” tropes questioning her legitimacy. “There’s a certain cadre of people who clearly can’t cope with the fact that I won this and I’m doing it,” she said. “I think there’s a Kemi derangement syndrome: ‘How could she possibly have done this?’”
Badenoch, who grew up in Nigeria before returning to the U.K. at 16, has often played down the role of racism in British society. She reiterated that stance, arguing ethnic minorities fare well in Britain compared with white working-class boys, whom she described as struggling on many measures.
The new Tory leader now faces a crucial test as she prepares for her first party conference speech while fending off speculation about a leadership challenge from her shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick. Supporters of Jenrick claim he is positioning to take over, but Badenoch dismissed such talk as “wishful thinking” and “sour grapes.”
Despite the tensions, she defended Jenrick personally, saying he too finds the rumors “distressing.” With the Conservatives trailing in third place at 17% in the polls, Badenoch urged party figures to focus on the country rather than internal gamesmanship.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/
