There was Margaret Thatcher. There was Winston Churchill. And now there is Kemi Badenoch, in the line of pro-Israel Conservative leaders. In the past, it was the Labour Party that gave more support to Israel, with such people as Richard Crossman and Prime Minister Harold Wilson. But no longer; now it is the Conservative Party that has supported the embattled Jewish state as it fights a seven-front war.
More on this remarkable figure, Kemi Badenoch, can be found here: “Leader of U.K. Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch showcases her pro-Israel bona fides,” by Lianne Kolirin, Jewish Insider, December 12, 2024:
Kemi Badenoch grew up in 1980s Lagos, Nigeria, a world away culturally, politically and economically from Israel. But when it comes to the Jewish state, the new leader of U.K.’s Conservative Party and the first Black woman to head a major political party in England, feels Israel “in her kishkes,” attests the man she has tapped as shadow attorney general, Lord David Wolfson.
“She sees Israel for what it is, which is a democratic, pluralist state with Western values, with an independent judiciary and fighting to maintain that society in a very tough neighborhood,” Wolfson told Jewish Insider.
It has been a busy few days for the 44-year-old Badenoch, newly returned from Canada and the U.S., where she met with a host of politicians and public figures on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, at a time when that “tough neighborhood” has been dramatically altered in large part by Israel’s military defeats of the Iran-backed terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Badenoch replaced former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when she was voted into the top job by Conservative Party members last month.
And although her party was decisively defeated in the country’s general election in July, Badenoch is wasting no time in building up her profile and influence. While in the U.S., she met with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
Vance, who will take office with President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, posted a picture of himself and Badenoch in the U.S. on Sunday.
“Great to see the leader of the UK conservatives, @KemiBadenoch during her trip to the US. We discussed many topics, but I was unable to persuade her that coffee is much better than tea. Cheers, Kemi!” Vance posted on X.
Badenoch was in Washington to attend the 2024 conference of the International Democracy Union (IDU), whose tagline is “the global movement of the center right.”
It was at the conference where Badenoch gave a rousing speech outlining her journey into politics, which earned her a standing ovation. Among those she met with were House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Pierre Poilievre, candidate for Canadian prime minister, and former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the latter of whom praised her speech as a “powerful message” supporting freedom and democracy….
So far, Keri Badench sounds awfully good to me. Early days, but possibly a Daniel come to judgement. Now she must win, and take the helm of the S.S. Narrenschiff, that Ship of Labourite Fools whose feckless crew need to be turned out, and the ship of state righted.
Michael King says
Kudos on her stand for Israel but Is she also protecting the rights of Christians who are being slaughtered in Nigeria?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Interestingly, no one has asked her about that. I suspect that she may be too conscious of being perceived as someone who’s for another country but Britain: since she’s a Christian of Nigerian origin, But it is fair of her to ask that question, just like Priti Patel a few days ago raised the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh in Parliament
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I’ve heard she’s good, but I doubt that she’s any better than Suella Braverman. Incidentally, has there been any development on the expectations of the latter planning to join Farage’s Reform Party?
No, the Tories have major blind spots when it came to islam. Once upon a time, it was thought that Boris Johnson might be good on this issue, but he turned out not to be. I do think the Tories are unsalvagable
40 rounds says
Nice to see a black woman who is not a raging lunatic for once
aum says
Time will Tell.
Andrew Blackadder says
Enoch Powell predicted this in 1968.
She was born in West Africa and NOT Britain so why is she given such a post when there are other ethnic British females standing close by.
I appreciate her view on politics but she may well can be in the Party but not leading it.
This land of my birth has seriously lost the plot.
Glad I left it in 1970 aged 21.
James Lincoln says
Could Kemi Badenoch be the “real deal” for the UK?
I sure hope so.
Adams says
Kemi , a waste of space just like the rest of her wrongly named Conservative Party. Their sole aim is to perpetuate their cushy seat at the feeding trough. What the British people want is not in any way their concern. They must be sent in to the history books. Hopefully Farage will see they get there ASAP.