Kemi Badenoch comes out fighting

It has been a busy Conservative conference for Kemi Badenoch, whose comments on Sunday about maternity pay have dominated the last few days. Each of the other candidates in the Tory leadership race is wary of saying anything that might remotely damage their chances next week. But Badenoch remains undaunted by criticism, as she showed in a trenchant performance at an ‘In Conversation’ event with The Spectator this evening in Birmingham.

Speaking to Fraser Nelson, Badenoch told the audience that:

‘Sometimes you have to walk through the fire… a lot of MPs are just afraid of not being liked, being scared of the mob. If we as Conservatives buckle every time we get criticism, we are not going to get anything done.’

It was a response which found favour with the packed-out crowd.

Badenoch’s supporters argue that she is the candidate who has done the most serious thinking about the future of the party.