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Kemi Badenoch: Anti-woke campaigner making waves Kemi Badenoch: Anti-woke 'darling of the right'
(4 months later)
Watch: Let's be honest about our economic challenge - Kemi Badenoch Watch: Kemi Badenoch's campaign launch in July
Watch: Let's be honest about our economic challenge - Kemi Badenoch Watch: Kemi Badenoch's campaign launch in July
Kemi Badenoch has been the surprise package of the Conservative leadership contest. Kemi Badenoch was the surprise hopeful of the previous Conservative leadership contest, triggered after Boris Johnson announced his resignation in July.
Rarely mentioned in speculation about who might succeed Boris Johnson before the contest started, she saw off some far bigger names before being knocked out in the fourth round of voting by MPs. Rarely mentioned in speculation before the contest started, she saw off some far bigger names before being knocked out in the fourth round of voting by MPs.
Seen as being on the right of the party, the 42-year-old former equalities minister stood on an "anti-woke" platform - and argued for the state to be slimmed down.Seen as being on the right of the party, the 42-year-old former equalities minister stood on an "anti-woke" platform - and argued for the state to be slimmed down.
But she insisted she will not enter the tax cut "bidding war" with the other leadership candidates. She was named international trade secretary by Liz Truss on her first day in office on 6 September.
High profile supporters included former minister Michael Gove.
Born in Wimbledon, south London, to parents of Nigerian origin, she grew up in the US and Nigeria, where her psychology professor mother had lecturing jobs.Born in Wimbledon, south London, to parents of Nigerian origin, she grew up in the US and Nigeria, where her psychology professor mother had lecturing jobs.
She returned to the UK at the age of 16, and studied for her A-levels at a college in south London while working at a branch of McDonalds.She returned to the UK at the age of 16, and studied for her A-levels at a college in south London while working at a branch of McDonalds.
After completing a degree in computer systems engineering at Sussex University, she developed a career as a systems analyst before moving into banking.After completing a degree in computer systems engineering at Sussex University, she developed a career as a systems analyst before moving into banking.
She was an associate director of private bank Coutts and later digital director of the influential right-wing magazine The Spectator.She was an associate director of private bank Coutts and later digital director of the influential right-wing magazine The Spectator.
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Ms Badenoch's leadership campaign team made much of her status as a "fresh face".Ms Badenoch's leadership campaign team made much of her status as a "fresh face".
'New darling of the right' She had been described as "the new darling of the right" by one MP backing a rival candidate in July, BBC News political correspondent Jonathan Blake said.
Although she's left the race, Kemi Badenoch is undoubtedly the breakthrough candidate of this campaign.
She won support and gained attention with her straight talking approach, pitch for honesty and firm grasp of complex issues.
While other candidates scrapped about whether to cut taxes Ms Badenoch was clearly trying to set a new agenda.
Whether colleagues agreed with her or not, many admired her command of social and cultural issues which have divided the party.
With a group of 59 MPs behind her, she could still have a big influence on the outcome of the race by openly backing one of the remaining contenders.
One MP backing a rival candidate described her as "the new darling of the right".
She joined the Conservative Party at the age of 25, and spent several years trying to get elected to Parliament - and had a stint on the London Assembly, where she was Conservative spokesman for the economy. She backed Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.She joined the Conservative Party at the age of 25, and spent several years trying to get elected to Parliament - and had a stint on the London Assembly, where she was Conservative spokesman for the economy. She backed Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.
She eventually achieved her ambition of becoming an MP at the 2017 general election in the safe Conservative seat of Saffron Walden, Essex.She eventually achieved her ambition of becoming an MP at the 2017 general election in the safe Conservative seat of Saffron Walden, Essex.
As an equalities minister, she enraged many on the left and won admirers on the right when she challenged the notion that there is widespread institutional racism in the UK.As an equalities minister, she enraged many on the left and won admirers on the right when she challenged the notion that there is widespread institutional racism in the UK.
Often labelled a "culture warrior" - a tag she disputes - she has been outspoken on issues like gender-neutral toilets (she is against them).Often labelled a "culture warrior" - a tag she disputes - she has been outspoken on issues like gender-neutral toilets (she is against them).
At her campaign launch venue, her team taped handwritten "men" and "ladies" signs on the gender neutral toilet doors. At her campaign launch venue in July, her team taped handwritten "men" and "ladies" signs on the gender neutral toilet doors.
In her speech, she vowed to "discard the priorities of Twitter and focus on people's priorities instead", adding: "We have been in the grip of an underlying economic, social, cultural and intellectual malaise."In her speech, she vowed to "discard the priorities of Twitter and focus on people's priorities instead", adding: "We have been in the grip of an underlying economic, social, cultural and intellectual malaise."
And she took aim at what she claimed were examples of government waste.And she took aim at what she claimed were examples of government waste.
"While the priority of the £300bn the government spends on procurement should be value for money, in truth this is being undermined by tick-box exercises in sustainability, diversity and equality."While the priority of the £300bn the government spends on procurement should be value for money, in truth this is being undermined by tick-box exercises in sustainability, diversity and equality.
"These are good things but they need to be done properly. Why are we spending millions on people's jobs which literally didn't exist a decade ago, like staff wellbeing co-ordinators in the public sector?""These are good things but they need to be done properly. Why are we spending millions on people's jobs which literally didn't exist a decade ago, like staff wellbeing co-ordinators in the public sector?"
In an LBC interview, she said she had only ever experienced prejudice from left wingers, and that the diverse line-up of contenders to be Tory leader proved that the party does not have problem with racism.In an LBC interview, she said she had only ever experienced prejudice from left wingers, and that the diverse line-up of contenders to be Tory leader proved that the party does not have problem with racism.
"I came to this country aged 16 and now I am standing for prime minister - isn't that amazing? I was born in this country but I didn't grow up here."I came to this country aged 16 and now I am standing for prime minister - isn't that amazing? I was born in this country but I didn't grow up here.
"That is amazing. And I don't understand why people want to ignore all of the good things and only focus on the bad things and use the bad things to tell the story.""That is amazing. And I don't understand why people want to ignore all of the good things and only focus on the bad things and use the bad things to tell the story."