Kemi Badenoch rows back on her comments over maternity pay after backlash --[Reported by Umva mag]

Conservative leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch has said she does believe in maternity pay hours after calling on people to have ‘more personal responsibility’ over the benefit.

The former business secretary told Times Radio this morning: ‘There was a time when there wasn’t any maternity pay and people were having more babies.’

She was criticised for the comments by leadership rival Robert Jenrick, who said in an event at the party conference: ‘I don’t agree with Kemi on this one.

‘I am a father of three young daughters. I want to see them get the support that they need when they enter the workplace.’

Following backlash, Badenoch posted on X: ‘Contrary to what some have said, I clearly said the burden of regulation on businesses had gone too far… of course I believe in maternity pay! Watch the clip for the truth.’

In another interview this morning, she said she ‘will swing back’ when critics take aim at her, amid questions over whether her style is too combative.

Badenoch has grown her public profile in recent years as she has engaged in a series of culture war spats with figures including Doctor Who star David Tennant.

Asked about the row on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, she said: ‘Why is it that people worry about someone who talks back?

‘They don’t like it when women talk back, they don’t like it when politicians talk back.

‘I will talk back, I will not stand there and let people punch me. If you swing at me I will swing back but I don’t look for fights.’

Less than two weeks before the summer General Election, Tennant said in a speech at the British LGBT Awards that he wished the then-minister for women and equalities would ‘shut up’.

He also implied he wanted to wake up in a world where Badenoch ‘doesn’t exist anymore’, before adding: ‘I don’t wish ill of her.’

She responded by describing him as ‘A rich, lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology he can’t see the optics of attacking the only Black woman in government.’

On Sky News, Trevor Phillips also highlighted high-profile fights with ex-Conservative MP Nadine Dorries and former Post Office chair Henry Saunter.

Badenoch replied: ‘What is interesting about all those three people is, there I was being nice, minding my own business, and then they came after me.’

The journalist also grilled the three other contenders in the ongoing Tory leadership race: Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly, Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

There is still more than a month to go until the new leader of the opposition is officially announced on November 2, following a vote by Conservative Party members.

This morning’s interviews came ahead of the opening of the four-day Tory conference in Birmingham.

The event is expected to serve as crunch time for the four, with numerous hustings, Q&A sessions and speeches set up to allow each to woo voters.

One week after the conference comes to an end, Conservative MPs will decide the final two who will go before the party membership.

Ex-Home Secretary Priti Patel and Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride were eliminated in the first two rounds of voting.

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