The leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has disclosed that she is facing heightened racist abuse since becoming the first Black woman to head the party, despite her long-held view that Britain remains “the best place in the world to be Black.”
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Badenoch described the situation as both shocking and disappointing, noting that personal attacks have come not only from social media but also from a handful of Members of Parliament. She likened the hostility to what she termed “Kemi derangement syndrome,” echoing the phrase once associated with Donald Trump.
“There’s a certain cadre of people who clearly can’t cope with the fact that I won this, and I’m doing it. The level of personal attacks from anonymous people—it’s hysterical. Not even just from MPs. I actually don’t think it’s that many MPs. I think it’s two to three people out of 120. That’s nothing. But online as well. People used to talk about Trump derangement syndrome. I think there’s a Kemi derangement syndrome: ‘How could she possibly have done this?’” she said.
Badenoch, who was born in Wimbledon and raised in Nigeria before returning to the UK at 16, also highlighted the rising tide of ethno-nationalist rhetoric online. According to her, many critics have suggested her achievements are impossible without external influence because of her ethnicity.
On this, she said, “There’s a lot of ethno-nationalism creeping up, lots of stuff about my race and my ethnicity and the tropes around, ‘well, she couldn’t possibly have done this all by herself.’”
Although she has often distanced herself from her Nigerian heritage, Badenoch reaffirmed her belief that Britain remains a fair society. “I always try to think of every possible explanation before I go to race and racism. I think that is a healthy way to run a society,” she said.
As speculation swirls about her leadership being tested by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, Badenoch dismissed such rumours as “wishful thinking” and “sour grapes.”
“When I hear those things, I can tell those people are not focused on the country at all. Many of those people having those conversations think this is a game. But the lives of people in this country aren’t a game,” she said.
Her first party conference speech as Conservative leader is expected to be a defining moment, especially with the party’s polling numbers dropping to 17 percent.
okay.ng reports that Badenoch’s resilience is being closely watched within and outside the party as she navigates one of the toughest political landscapes in recent UK history.
