By Deborah Nnamdi
Kemi Badenoch has spoken candidly about the racism she has faced since becoming the first Black woman to lead the Conservative Party, revealing she was unprepared for the scale of the abuse.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Badenoch admitted she had not anticipated the hostility she’s encountered, despite previously calling Britain “the best place in the world to be black.”
“There’s a certain group of people who simply can’t handle the fact that I won and that I’m succeeding,” she said. “The personal attacks from anonymous sources are intense—almost hysterical. And it’s not just from MPs. In Parliament, it’s maybe two or three people out of 120. But online, it’s worse. It reminds me of ‘Trump derangement syndrome’—now it feels like there’s a ‘Kemi derangement syndrome’: ‘How could she possibly have achieved this?’”
Badenoch said much of the online abuse is racial in nature, often laced with ethno-nationalist rhetoric and tropes questioning her legitimacy and independence. “There’s a lot of commentary implying I couldn’t have done this on my own because of my background,” she added.
Born in Wimbledon and raised in Nigeria before returning to the UK at 16, Badenoch rarely speaks at length about her race or heritage. She has previously distanced herself from identity politics and criticised anti-racism campaigners and critical race theory.
“I always look for every other explanation before attributing something to racism,” she said. “That’s a healthier way to run a society. When I said Britain isn’t a racist country and that ethnic minorities often do well here—while white working-class boys are struggling—I was pilloried.”
“There are people who will say anything, throw all kinds of mud, hoping something sticks,” she added.
Now preparing for her first party conference as leader, Badenoch faces mounting pressure amid rumours of a leadership challenge from shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, as the Conservatives poll at just 17%.
Responding to speculation, she said: “I think it’s wishful thinking. Some people are sore losers—‘our candidate didn’t win’ and all that. But when I hear those rumours, I know those people aren’t focused on the country. For them, politics is a game. But real lives are not a game.”
