The Digest: Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the UK Conservative Party, has spoken out about the "hysterical" racist abuse she has endured since becoming the first Black woman to hold the position. Despite previously calling Britain the "best place in the world for black people," Badenoch told the Sunday Times that she had not anticipated the level of hostility.
Key Points:
- Badenoch claims the most severe attacks come from anonymous online racists. She says these individuals target her for her race and ethnicity, using "ethno-nationalism" tropes and suggesting she couldn't have achieved her position on her own.
- She likened the online abuse to "Trump derangement syndrome," describing a group of people who simply "can't cope with the fact that I won."
- Badenoch stated that the personal attacks from her fellow Members of Parliament (MPs) are minimal, estimating the number at only "two to three people out of 120."
- Badenoch reiterated her long-held belief that Britain is not a racist country. She pointed out that ethnic minorities often do well there, while "white working-class boys" are "struggling on a lot of metrics." She believes that while racism exists, it is not a defining characteristic of British society.
- Badenoch also dismissed rumors of a leadership challenge from her shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, calling it "wishful thinking" from "sore losers."
The Conservative leader, who was born in the UK but spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, is now navigating a critical period as her party's leader while facing public scrutiny and personal attacks.
