Kemi Badenoch is known for her assertive stance, particularly on contentious cultural issues. However, during the recent Prime Minister’s Questions, following the tragic murder of teenager Henry Nowak, opposition leader Keir Starmer expressed gratitude towards Badenoch for her measured tone. Does this indicate a shift in her political demeanor? Not necessarily.
Badenoch’s strategy leading up to her weekly confrontation with Starmer was influenced by recent events. There was significant public outcry on Wednesday regarding the police’s actions in the Nowak case, where the student was restrained while bleeding to death after being falsely accused of racism. This unrest escalated into riots on Tuesday night, making it crucial for Badenoch to avoid exacerbating tensions.
Additionally, Badenoch has a vested interest in distinguishing her stance from that of Nigel Farage, who has faced backlash for his inflammatory comments related to the incident, particularly as Nowak’s family has urged politicians not to exploit the young man’s death for divisive purposes.
“It is the responsibility of everyone in this house to bring people together, not divide them,” Badenoch stated, to which Starmer acknowledged her approach and tone with appreciation.
However, a clearer indication of her motivations emerged at the outset of her remarks, where she described the circumstances surrounding Nowak’s wrongful arrest as a “wake-up call” for the nation, emphasizing that “every life matters.” This perspective diverges from the government’s official stance, which, while recognizing the shocking nature of the police bodycam footage, calls for patience until an inquiry by the police watchdog is completed before drawing conclusions.
In contrast, Badenoch has already reached definitive conclusions, as articulated in a Daily Mail article that same morning. She attributed the police’s actions to identity politics, partially stemming from the Black Lives Matter movement, asserting the necessity to eliminate identity politics from state institutions.
This has been a consistent theme for Badenoch over the years. As the equalities minister in the previous Conservative administration, she oversaw a contentious report on racial disparities that largely minimized the significance of systemic factors. Badenoch praised the report as a “positive agenda for change,” while critics—including numerous academics and the British Medical Association—argued that it was overly simplistic and at times misleading.
Disputed or not, this perspective informs Badenoch’s interpretation of the response to Nowak’s murder, which appears to facilitate her criticism of the police’s adherence to racial ideology, despite a trial judge acknowledging that the chaotic circumstances may have contributed to the officers’ initial misjudgment.
When questioned after PMQs about her certainty regarding the lessons to be learned from the case, her spokesperson attributed this to her experiences as equalities minister during the Black Lives Matter movement, during which she observed organizations adopting increasingly radical anti-racism initiatives. He also noted that her reaction to the distressing bodycam footage of Nowak’s arrest was profoundly human, as a mother envisioning her son in a similar predicament.
The recognition that action is necessary is a typical and understandable political instinct. Given the intensity of Badenoch’s sentiments, it is noteworthy that her primary message during PMQs was one of urging calm rather than conflict.
Is this indicative of a leader growing into her role? That is a more nuanced and long-term question. Although recent polling has shown the Conservatives trailing Reform, they remain below the ratings that Badenoch initially faced.
Supporters argue that she is navigating well within a fragmented political landscape, citing her improving personal approval ratings. Others, however, express skepticism. In a recent article for Conservative Home, Lee Cain, who previously served as Boris Johnson’s communications chief, compared Badenoch to William Hague, who also enjoyed high personal ratings but struggled to lead the party effectively.
Cain remarked, “The country doesn’t elect leaders on the basis of PMQs, and personal approval ratings only take you so far when the party itself has nothing to say.”
