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Best of the Spectator

Coffee House Shots: have we been too quick to judge Kemi Badenoch?

Best of the Spectator

The Spectator

News Commentary, News, Daily News, Society & Culture

4.4785 Ratings

🗓️ 27 December 2024

⏱️ 19 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Kemi Badenoch is just over a month into her tenure as leader of the opposition, and already she has been criticised for her performances at PMQs and for failing to offer much in the way of policy proposals. It has been a consistent gripe of many of Badenoch’s detractors that she is a culture warrior or a one-trick pony. However, we might get a better idea of what the Conservatives will look like in the new year once her series of policy commissions get under way. So, how will she position her party? And, as countries around the world turn rightward, can she wrestle herself into conversations with Trump and the like?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Goodman, former editor of Conservative Home.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Transcript

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0:00.0

The Spectator magazine is home to wonderful writing, insightful analysis and unrivaled books and arts reviews.

0:05.1

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0:11.8

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0:18.4

Hello and welcome to Coffee House Shots, The Spectator Politics Podcast. I'm Oscar Genson. I'm joined

0:23.3

today by Katie Balls and Paul Goodman. Now, we are approaching the end of the year, which is, of course, a time for reflection.

0:30.4

So on this podcast, we thought we'd take stock of the Conservative Party and their position at the end of

0:34.6

2024 under new leader, Kemi Badernock.

0:40.5

Katie, how do you think she's settled in so far?

0:42.3

So she's a little over a month in.

0:47.7

I think there was an interesting poll recently, which suggested that the public had not yet convinced she looks like a prime minister in waiting.

0:50.0

And at a similar point for Kirstama's leadership, he was further ahead on this question.

0:54.8

So you can argue it's too early to tell in lots of ways and I think that is correct.

0:59.3

There are a few metrics to suggest that she is not where you might want to be in some places,

1:05.2

such as do you look like a future prime minister, which is always quite a key metric in general elections.

1:10.8

That said, general intention polling at the moment where Labour are often second, sometimes

1:17.6

even third, and the Tories often first. You know, they're not huge margins, we're talking about

1:22.4

a couple of points here or there, but there's definitely a better position for the Tories to be in

1:26.8

than not be in. I think,

1:28.8

you know, it was Rishi Sunax last day in office where finally he got his one point lead over

1:34.2

Labour. He could have done a little bit sooner, maybe during the general election. But they got there.

1:39.8

And I think you can safely say, Kimmy Badenock has not made that Yes. Now, we can have the debate as to oppositions don't win,

1:47.9

elections, governments lose them,

...

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