Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has criticized the rise of the “bureaucratic” class in jobs such as regulation, compliance, and human resources, saying it has led to a shift away from entrepreneurship and towards living off the law. In an interview with the Spectator magazine, she stated that the middle class has changed from people who grow things, like farmers, or people who build or make things, to people who live off the law in one form or another.
Badenoch, who has previously pledged to unpick the “bureaucratic state”, said that the creation of a whole class with a vested interest in furthering its expansion has had a detrimental effect on growth. She also expressed interest in exploring “how radical you can be on the Right” and cited new Argentine President Javier Milei as an influence.
Badenoch also took aim at Sir Keir Starmer’s lack of political convictions, saying he does not have opinions on things. She promised that the Tories would enter the next election with “lots of red meat” in their manifesto.
In the same interview, she also criticized Sir Keir’s failure to shut down recent demands to impose a new blasphemy law, describing it as “madness” and “authoritarian”. She added that she would monitor closely Elon Musk’s success in slashing government waste when Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Badenoch also stepped up her attack on the “woke” culture infecting public life, describing it as “really socialism and communism wearing the cute outfits of the civil rights movements”. She pledged “radical” immigration reforms, saying the asylum system is “being exploited because we’re using a system that was built for the 1950s”.
In a separate interview, Mr Milei said “the state is the problem… the public sector is the illness,” adding: “If a body has something that is harming it – a virus, a germ, a bug, a parasite – you extract the parasite.”
Badenoch also revealed her Christmas movie favourites, saying she prefers action film Die Hard and named Gremlins and Scrooged as her seasonal choices. She joked that “lunch is for wimps” and that sandwiches are “not real food”, saying she enjoys the occasional steak but rarely has time for lunch.
Badenoch also expressed her views on decorations, saying it’s fine to start early, but before Christmas Day, people should be fined for putting them up. She added that her house looks like Santa’s grotto on Christmas Day, with nothing too cheesy.
She previously described her children as “pretty Right-wing” because they love meat, with one of them thinking being vegetarian is a very bad thing and another’s favorite foods being ribs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, and lamb chops.
Conclusion
Kemi Badenoch’s comments have sparked controversy, with many criticizing her views on the "bureaucratic" class and the need for "radical" immigration reforms. However, her supporters see her as a breath of fresh air, willing to challenge the status quo and push for change.
FAQs
Q: What is the "bureaucratic" class that Kemi Badenoch is referring to?
A: Badenoch is referring to jobs such as regulation, compliance, and human resources, which she believes have created a class of people who live off the law rather than being entrepreneurial.
Q: What are Kemi Badenoch’s views on immigration reforms?
A: Badenoch has pledged to introduce "radical" immigration reforms, saying the asylum system is being exploited and needs to be overhauled.
Q: What is Kemi Badenoch’s stance on the "woke" culture?
A: Badenoch has described the "woke" culture as "really socialism and communism wearing the cute outfits of the civil rights movements" and has pledged to challenge it.
Q: What are Kemi Badenoch’s views on sandwiches?
A: Badenoch has joked that sandwiches are "not real food" and that "lunch is for wimps".