\n<\/p>\n
Nugent<\/strong> asks about this Guardian story about Robert Jenrick.<\/p>\n Q: Jenrick talks about wanting people to be properly accurate. Do you approve of that?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says, given it is the Guardian, she will take it with \u201ca pinch of salt\u201d. She says:<\/p>\n Given that it\u2019s The Guardian, I think I\u2019m going to take some of that with a pinch of salt.<\/p>\n They haven\u2019t always been the most accurate newspaper.<\/p>\n She suggests the quotes might have been taken out of context.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know what was being discussed before he said that. But in and of itself, it\u2019s a factual statement.<\/p>\n If he said he didn\u2019t see another white face, he might have been making an observation. There\u2019s nothing wrong with making observations.<\/p>\n But what he and I both agree with is that there are not enough people integrating. There are many people who are creating separate communities. I\u2019m very worried.<\/p>\n Q: So you agree with his concerns?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says:<\/p>\n Well, I wasn\u2019t there, so I can\u2019t say how many faces he saw, but the point is that there are many people in our country who are not integrating. I heard that one of the MPs of that area was accusing him of racism. I completely disagree with that. I want to make that very clear. In fact, I\u2019m quite worried about these sectarian MPs who\u2019ve been elected in Birmingham, very, very divisive politics, people who are more interested in talking about Gaza.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.27 EDT<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n <\/span>Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In his interview on BBC Radio WM, Richard Parker<\/strong>, the Labour mayor of the West Midlands, was asked if he thought Robert Jenrick\u2019s comments about Handsworth were racist. Parker replied:<\/p>\n I do. Because he\u2019s set out intentionally to draw on a particular issue – people\u2019s colour – to identify the point he wanted to make.<\/p>\n No other politician that I know in the West Midlands of a mainstream party would seek to do that explicitly and with the intent that he did.<\/p>\n The issue for me is that rather than reflect on the positive aspects of that community … he wanted to draw on a particular issue of ethnicity and colour. I think that is simply wrong.<\/p>\n It shows a lack of respect and understanding for those communities. And I doubt whether or not if he went to a largely white community anywhere in the West Midlands he\u2019d be making a comment similar to what he made about Handsworth.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Richard Parker<\/strong>, the Labour mayor of the West Midlands, has condemned Robert Jenrick for his comments about Handsworth. According to PA Media, Parker said he considered Jenrick\u2019s comments about Handsworth racist and questioned he would have made equivalent remarks about a predominantly white area.<\/p>\n Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Parker said:<\/p>\n I\u2019m angry, I\u2019m appalled. Frankly, I\u2019m disgusted and I want everyone to know in Handsworth – and I\u2019ve got many friends in Handsworth – that I will stand up for you.<\/p>\n Handsworth is a really vibrant community with lots of faiths and ethnicities working together and living together. The Soho Road is one of the most vibrant and successful high streets anywhere in the country.<\/p>\n Claiming Jenrick had defined people by the colour of their skin \u201cwith intent and with a real purpose\u201d and gone to Handsworth without reflecting on the positive contribution local people make to Birmingham, Parker said:<\/p>\n That\u2019s terribly disappointing. That raises serious questions about whether someone like Robert Jenrick should be allowed to be even a member of the Conservative party.<\/p>\n I think there are serious issues now for Kemi Badenoch to discuss with Robert Jenrick and senior members of the Conservative party about whether someone like Jenrick should be allowed to stand and sit as a Conservative politician.<\/p>\n Andy Street<\/strong>, Parker\u2019s Tory predecessor as mayor, has also condemned Jenrick\u2019s comments. (See 8.13am.)<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n I have beefed up the post at 7.45am with fuller quotes from Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> in response to claims that the Tory conference feels empty (which it does) because so few people are here.<\/p>\n One point Badenoch made was that corporate lobbyists are staying away. That is true too; there is no point lobbying a party if you don\u2019t think it will be in government.<\/p>\n Badenoch said:<\/p>\n A lot of the people who came just because we were in government, the corporate lobbyists, yes, they\u2019re not there, but our members are here. This is one of the first conferences I\u2019ve been to where it has really felt like the members owned it, and I\u2019m really proud of that.<\/p>\n I have updated some of the other earlier posts too with direct quotes from the interviews. You may need to refresh the page to get those updates to appear.<\/p>\n <\/span>Kemi Badenoch being interviewed by LBC.<\/span> Photograph: Adam Vaughan\/EPAShare<\/span>Kemi Badenoch being interviewed on Times Radio this morning.<\/span> Photograph: Peter Byrne\/PAShare<\/p>\n Q: What would you say to Robert Jenrick about his Handworth comments?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch says those comments were taken out of context.<\/p>\n But she and Jenrick are both worried about integration not going far enough.<\/p>\n She attacks Birmingham Labour politicians again, accusing them of being sectarian.<\/p>\n Q: Is it true that the national anthem has been axed from the final day of conference?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch says they sang the national anthem on Sunday. She says she does not know where the story came from.<\/p>\n (But she should have been able to guess \u2013 GB News, of course.)<\/p>\n Badenoch suggests they will sing it tomorrow.<\/p>\n And that is the end of Badenoch\u2019s interview round.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: How would you grade your time as leader so far?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> replies: \u201cDifficult.\u201d<\/p>\n She says she was worried about the party splitting. And it\u2019s finances were in a poor state. She has addressed both problem.<\/p>\n Q: Your party cannot even spell Britain properly?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says that was a typo. It is \u201cfatuous\u201d to pretend that is the same as running government.<\/p>\n That is a reference to this story.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: How many civil service jobs under your plans to cut spending there by \u00a38bn?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says it would be \u201ca lot\u201d. She does not have the number.<\/p>\n Q: What are the figures if you cut numbers back to pro-2016 levels.<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says she does not have the figures to hand.<\/p>\n Q: These are people\u2019s jobs. You should know.<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says if a job should not exist, there is no point keeping it.<\/p>\n She says most of the Tory savings will come from welfare cuts.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: How much personal responsibility do you take for the failures of the last government on immigration?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says she was not in the Home Office. As business secretary, she pushed for policies to bring down immigration.<\/p>\n But they must take collective responsibility, she says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Asked about defections, Badenoch<\/strong> says she wants people in her party \u201cfor the right reasons\u201d.<\/p>\n People joining Reform UK are joining a party in favour of higher spending.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/em> Badenoch<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n What we are doing is shedding a lot of the baggage of the last 14 years. I remember last year we had people defecting to Labour because Labour was doing well in the polls. Now we have people defecting to Reform because Reform is doing well in the polls.<\/p>\n We need people who are in our party for the right reasons.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.38 EDT<\/p>\n Nick Ferrari<\/strong> from LBC is interviewing Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> now.<\/p>\n Q: A poll yesterday said half of members want you to stand down. What would you say to them?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says he is not bother. She claims a poll before the leadership contest last year said she would lose. She says \u201cthese polls are not accurate\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: What was the mistake the Tories made? Tax? Inflation? The Liz Truss budget? Immigration?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says Reid did not listen to her speech on Sunday, where she addressed all this.<\/p>\n Balls<\/strong> says he can sense Badenoch\u2019s frustation. Badenoch l<\/strong>aughs. She says she is having a good conference. She says Balls is trying to rile him.<\/p>\n Q: Why don\u2019t you tell Robert Jenrick to get back in his box?<\/em><\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says Jenrick is a valued member of a strong team.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Reid<\/strong> asks about another defection. She is referring to this annoucement from Reform UK.<\/strong><\/p>\n Rushcliffe councillor Debbie Soloman has joined Reform UK, saying only Nigel Farage\u2019s party have the answers to the biggest problems facing the country.<\/p>\n Cllr Debbie Soloman has represented Newton on the council since 2023, and had previously been a member of the Conservative party. But she says <\/em>\u201cThe Conservative party is over. Only Reform can deliver the change Britain needs\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n Badenoch<\/strong> says it was always going to be a difficult journey back, and you lose some people along the way.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/em> Badenoch<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n Reform is a party that wants to spend more on welfare. We know there\u2019s some Conservatives who agree with those policies, on increased welfare, on nationalisation and if that\u2019s what they think is right for them, then we\u2019re sorry to lose them. But we need to make it very clear that we are the party of fiscal responsibility \u2026<\/p>\n It\u2019s going to be a long journey back from a historic defeat and on very long, difficult journeys you will lose some people on the way. But if these people cannot stick with us because opposition is difficult, then they\u2019re not going to be able to stick with us when government gets difficult.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.12 EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Badenoch defends Jenrick over comments that he \u2018did not see another white face\u2019 in Birmingham Nugent asks about this Guardian story about Robert Jenrick. Q: Jenrick talks about wanting people to be properly accurate. Do you approve of that? Badenoch says, given it is the Guardian, she will take it with \u201ca pinch of salt\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[3494,3748,12590,2086,584,9321,132,124,2168],"class_list":{"0":"post-26426","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"tag-badenoch","9":"tag-birmingham","10":"tag-comments","11":"tag-defends","12":"tag-face","13":"tag-jenrick","14":"tag-live","15":"tag-politics","16":"tag-white"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Parker says Jenrick’s comments were racist because he focused on colour to make negative point about Handsworth<\/h2>\n
Labour West Midlands mayor Richard Parker suggests Jenrick should be thrown out of Tory party over Handsworth comments<\/h2>\n
Badenoch accepts corporate lobbyists have stayed away from Tory conference<\/h2>\n
Badenoch suggests Reform UK defectors are joining party that backs higher spending<\/h2>\n
Badenoch claims poll suggesting half of Tory members want her replaced ‘not accurate’<\/h2>\n
Badenoch brushes off announcement from Reform UK about another councillor defection from Tories<\/h2>\n