The Rise of Kemi Badenoch: From McDonald’s to the Conservative Party Leadership

Kemi Badenoch, a name that has become synonymous with determination, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to conservative principles, has made a remarkable journey from working at a McDonald’s branch to becoming a key figure in the Conservative Party and a potential future leader.

Born in Wimbledon, south London, to parents of Nigerian origin, Kemi grew up in the United States and Nigeria, where her psychology professor mother had lecturing jobs. At the age of 16, she returned to the UK and studied for her A-levels at a college in south London while working part-time at a McDonald’s branch. After completing her degree in computer systems engineering at Sussex University, she developed a career as a systems analyst while working part-time to gain a second degree in Law from Birkbeck University.

Her career took a turn towards banking, becoming an associate director of private bank Coutts and later digital director of the influential right-wing magazine The Spectator. Kemi’s political beliefs were shaped by her heroes, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, and she joined the Conservative Party at the age of 25. Spending several years trying to get elected to Parliament, she had a stint on the London Assembly, where she was Conservative spokesman for the economy. She backed Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.

In 2017, Kemi finally achieved her ambition of becoming an MP in the safe Conservative seat of Saffron Walden, Essex. Since her election to Parliament, her career has been characterized by her straightforwardness and willingness to engage in controversial topics. As the government’s equalities minister, she enraged many on the left when she challenged the notion that there is widespread institutional racism in the UK. In an LBC interview during her campaign to become Tory leader, she said she had only ever experienced prejudice from left-wingers.

Often labeled a ‘culture warrior,’ Kemi has been outspoken on issues like gender-neutral toilets (she is against them). In a leadership 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.’ Members of the government’s own LGBT+ advisory panel called for Kemi to stand aside over the failure to deliver on the 2019 manifesto pledge to ban so-called conversion therapy. Kemi has said she is committed to banning the practice, though the plans have been repeatedly delayed.

She was also a driving force behind the government’s decision to implement a section 35 order to block Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which would allow people in Scotland to self-identify their gender. In February, she accused the Post Office chair she sacked of trying to ‘seek revenge’ by ‘making up’ claims he was told to delay compensation payments for sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal.

Kemi has not shied away from fiery public clashes with MPs on her own side, including when she rejected calls to make it illegal to discriminate against people going through the menopause. While giving evidence to the Women Equalities Committee, she told committee chair Caroline Nokes, a fellow Tory MP, ‘loads of people’ wanted to use equalities law as ‘a tool for different personal agendas and interests.’

Despite coming fourth in the Conservative MPs’ vote on who should be party leader last time, Kemi has gone on to have a profound impact on the shape of her party. She has become a darling of Conservative right-wingers due to her direct approach and dedication to ‘anti-woke’ principles. Rarely mentioned in speculation before the contest started, Kemi outlasted some far bigger names in the 2022 Tory leadership race.

Born in this country but not growing up here, Kemi’s story is a testament to her unwavering belief in the Conservative Party’s principles and her determination to make a difference. Her journey from McDonald’s to the Conservative Party leadership is a reminder that with hard work, dedication, and a clear vision, one can overcome any obstacle and achieve their dreams.

In conclusion, Kemi Badenoch’s rise to prominence in the Conservative Party is a remarkable story of determination, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to conservative principles. From her humble beginnings working at a McDonald’s branch to her current position as a potential future leader, Kemi’s journey is an inspiration to many. Her unwavering belief in the Conservative Party’s principles and her willingness to engage in controversial topics have made her a key figure in the party and a darling of Conservative right-wingers. With her straightforwardness and dedication, Kemi is poised to make a significant impact on the Conservative Party and the political landscape of the UK.