On November 2024 Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (née Adegoke) made history by becoming the first Afrikan (Black) person the lead a major political party in the UK voted for by party members. She now sits as the Leader of the Opposition for the Conservative and Unionist Party. It caps a meteoric rise after becoming a Member of Parliament (MP) just seven years ago and entering the leadership race as favourite earlier this year. Thus the same party that a United Nations Working Group of Experts reported were attempting to “normalize white supremacy,” now has a Black leader. (1)
The North West Essex constituency MP is firmly embedded in the right-wing of her party, even garnering far-right support outside of the party. Responses to her victory included a belief that she will “turn the party’s fortunes around” and indeed in her first week she cut two points off the Labour government’s poll lead. (2)
The victory was welcomed within the Afrikan community. Conservative lawyer Sis. Rachel Okello was encouraged by the victory:
“The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader of the UK Conservative Party is a powerful reminder to everyone that your background doesn’t define your future. Born in the UK but brought up in Nigeria, Kemi’s rise to one of the most prominent positions in British politics is proof that your dreams are within reach—no matter where you started… a call to pursue your ambitions boldly. You have the potential to make an extraordinary impact here. Keep pushing forward—your story is still unfolding.” (3)
Similarly, Sarah, a 39-year-old Black banker opined: “People have always told Black people they can’t vote for the Conservative party because they’re racist. Why would a racist party elect the first Black leader of a main party? The Labour Party has never even had a Black female leader. Or an Asian one – we’ve had both.” There is also Zita Tulyahikayo, a Black hypnotherapist who expressed delight at Kemi’s selection as Opposition leader: “I value Kemi’s input. She brings back something valuable that has been missing for quite some time: common sense and straight talk.” (4)
However, not everybody in the community was enthralled with Badenoch’s victory. Broadcaster and writer Dotun Adebayo queried: “Kemi Badenoch: A Black British first we’re not ready to celebrate?” Suggesting that “Kemi is clearly the antithesis of the great Black women that we have always considered to be ‘on our side’. The Voice, the UK’s biggest Black Newspaper asserted: “Kemi Badenoch’s rise: a win for the Tories, a loss for Black Britain.” (5)
Sis. Tobi Oredein, founder of Black Ballad, a UK based lifestyle platform that seeks to tell the human experience through eyes of black British women, went even further declaring that Badenoch is “the Most Dangerous Political Leader For Black People in Modern British History,” dismissing her as “a puppeteer of white supremacy, she will go out of her way to deny our concerns, and many will use her denial of our problems to gaslight us even further.” (6)
In a similar vein, Brent Labour MP Dawn Butler, who has documented her own issues with racism in the party, is now engulfed in a political storm after liking a tweet by Nigerian-British author Nels Abbey, which claimed Badenoch represented “white supremacy in blackface.” Although she quickly deleted the tweet, conservative MPs and their media colleagues were up in arms demanding that Butler be suspended. (7)
Even in the Nigeria of Sis. Kemi childhood the reaction to her achivement was ambivalent at best with concern expressed over views on global Black issues like slavery, colonialism and reparations as well as a perceived tendency to talk down her ancestral homeland in favour of Britain, the latter of which Badenoch’s predecessor Rishi Sunak seemed not to do about his country of origin. (8)
As mentioned above, some commentators believe that the Conservative Party has “stolen a march on diversity” compared to Labour whose leaders have all been white and male. The paradox, is that diversity, often attacked as “woke” (in opposition to merit) is the kind of thing that Badenoch through her ‘culture war’ engagement has made her stock in trade. Something not lost on writer Michaela Makusha: “They have a leader who dismisses identity politics as divisive whilst using her identity to insulate themselves from criticism.” (9)
Conversely, another irony is that although there is widespread criticism of the Conservative Party over racism. Labour also has its critics, including Dawn Butler herself, with many pointing to their treatment of Diane Abbott and the ongoing shedding of Black and Asian support. (10) In fact both parties have been accused of helping “legitimise the ideas that extremists draw upon.” (11)
One theory about the differential between Labour and Conservatives in terms of high profile Black faces posits that the Tories philosophical basis (e.g. free market, small state, personal responsibiity) makes it easier to emphasise message discipline. Whereas Labour’s inclination to a larger state and social welfare can theoretically facilitate a multiplicity of messages from diverse perspectives and perhaps the fact that it maintains such a singular leadership profile indicates how committed to the values they really are.
(1) Reuters (02/11/24) Kemi Badenoch wins race to become new leader of Britain’s Conservatives. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/kemi-badenoch-wins-race-become-new-leader-britains-conservatives-2024-11-02/; Patrick English (23/08/24) Kemi Badenoch leads in first YouGov poll of Tory members for 2024 leadership contest. https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50368-kemi-badenoch-leads-in-first-yougov-poll-of-tory-members-for-2024-leadership-contest
(2) Jason Groves (05/11/24) How new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will turn the party’s fortunes around – as she names her defeated rival Robert Jenrick as shadow justice secretary. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14041013/How-new-Tory-leader-Kemi-Badenoch-turn-partys-fortunes-names-defeated-rival-Robert-Jenrick-shadow-justice-secretary.html; Katherine McPhillips (19/07/22) Britain First urges supporters to back ‘anti-woke’ candidate Kemi Badenoch. https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1642512/britain-first-back-kemi-badenoch-ont;
(3) Rachel Okello (03/11/24) The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader of the UK Conservative Party. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160784858933163&set=a.10153023701878163
(5) Dotun Adebayo (01/11/24) Kemi Badenoch: A Black British first we’re not ready to celebrate? https://www.voice-online.co.uk/opinion/comment/2024/11/01/kemi-badenoch-a-black-british-first-were-not-ready-to-celebrate/; Richard Sudan (05/11/24) Kemi Badenoch’s rise: a win for the Tories, a loss for Black Britain. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/opinion/comment/2024/11/05/kemi-badenochs-rise-a-win-for-the-tories-a-loss-for-black-britain/
(4) Jaydee Seaforth (06/11/24) The Black Women Who Believe In Kemi Badenoch. https://blackballad.co.uk/politics-activism/the-black-women-who-believe-in-kemi-badenoch?listIds=590867cea8c0bab2039c3ac5
(6) Tobi Oredein (03/11/24) Founder’s Letter: Kemi Badenoch – The Most Dangerous Political Leader For Black People in Modern British History. https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/founders-letter-kemi-badenoch-the-most-dangerous-political-leader-for-black-people-in-modern-british-history?listIds=672a35c7e8570fc4c068fb27&referrerType=article&referrerSource=related-split
(7) Nicholas Cecil (05/11/24) Labour MP Dawn Butler in growing row for ‘sharing’ tweet of Kemi Badenoch as ‘Blackface of white supremacy’. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24210480
(8) Kimbunga Media (05/11/24) Nigerians react To Kemi Badenoch Leadership Election. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcm9Kz-OqjI; Christopher McKeon (01/05/24) ‘British ingenuity’ not colonialism drove UK growth, says Kemi Badenoch. https://www.independent.co.uk/business/british-ingenuity-not-colonialism-drove-uk-growth-says-kemi-badenoch-b2537530.html
(9) Bill Carmichael (09/09/22) The Conservative party has stolen a march on diversity and new Cabinet appointments show this. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/the-conservative-party-has-stolen-a-march-on-diversity-and-new-cabinet-appointments-show-this-bill-carmichael-3836335; Michaela Makusha (05/11/2024) Kemi Badenoch Is Proof That Representation Politics Has Failed Us. https://blackballad.co.uk/politics-activism/kemi-badenoch-is-proof-that-representation-politics-has-failed-us?listIds=672a35c7e8570fc4c068fb27&referrerType=article&referrerSource=related-split
(10) Krishnan Guru-Murthy (08/09/23) Dawn Butler MP on white feminism, Sadiq Khan, and racism In parliament. https://www.channel4.com/news/dawn-butler-mp-on-white-feminism-sadiq-khan-and-racism-in-parliament; Richard Sudan (30/05/24) Labour’s treatment of Diane Abbott: another insult to the Black community. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/opinion/comment/2024/05/30/labours-treatment-of-diane-abbott-another-insult-to-the-black-community/; Nadine White & Alicja Hagopian (29/07/24) Labour lost almost a third of its Black and Asian support at election, polling finds. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-party-black-asian-voters-b2584177.html
(11) Sam Fowles (16/08/24) The mainstream has enabled far-right terror. https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/far-right/67607/mainstream-enabled-far-right-terror-riots-labour
So tonight we ask the question:
KEMI:What does her victory say about the UK?
1) If the Conservative Party is racist, why would they elect a Black woman as leader?
2) Will Kemi attract more Black people to the Conservative Party?
3) Is she really “the Most Dangerous Political Leader For Black People in Modern British History”?
4) Is Labour any better on race?
Our Special Guest:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing. He is the visionary that brought forth the Mosiah Season in 1998 and prime mover behind what bacame the interim National Afrikans People’s Parliamnent. Bro. Ldr. is the author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An Afrikan-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Sis. Rachel Okello: is a Solicitor who specialises in Immigration, Nationality and Deportation law. She has been a Solicitor since 2002 and has a background in criminal and family law. She considers herself a “staunch Tory” and is the the former deputy leader of a Conservative led Town Council. Sis. Rachel is also on the National Exec of the Conservative Women’s Organisation which sits on the National Executive of the Conservative Party.
Sis. Palma Black: Is the founder and CEO of Soul Purpose 360 CIC, a vehicle through which many Black women are connecting with others through the networking and empowerment circles. She is also a trained Personal Performance Coach and is DISC Accredited. Sis. Palma is passionate about people, communities and social justice, believing that everyone has the right and the ability to advocate for themselves and their communities.
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