Kemi Badenoch used PMQs to deliver an Old Testament-style rebuke to the prime minister yesterday, energising her fans beyond even those brave souls who wish to be put on the Tories’ candidates’ list.
The leader of the opposition argued that the issue was one of “moral courage … about doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.” But positioning herself as a gender critical warrior on the front lines with JK Rowling and Maya Forstater is perhaps slightly brave given her actual record as Equalities minister was not always characterised by delivery.
As they say, there’s always a tweet. Here she is in 2022 encouraging men to get a certificate telling them they are a woman (Just in time for the Holy month of Pride!) a document which, under the Tory laws of the time, was actually worth the paper it was written on:
Government insiders note she was weak on the trans guidance for schools, compared to some of her colleagues who used up a lot of political capital and annoyed trans-activists in government by making speeches like this.
And the key dividing line between gender critics on the left and the right — support for the Equality Act itself — leaves Kemi unambiguously on the wrong side for a conservative. Those on the right tend to see it as a part of the problem, whilst gender critics on the left would prefer to keep the Equality Act and just scrap the Gender Recognition Act instead. A perfectly respectable position in some respects, but for someone vying to lead the Right, it has raised eyebrows.
Kemi — at least in 2022 — didn’t even want to scrap the Gender Recognition Act. Yes of course she was a minister and collective responsibility existed, but nobody forces you to actually tweet out your support of something from your own account.
She should be so pride.
