Kemi Badenoch has asserted that her comments regarding maternity pay have been “misrepresented” and has called for an “honest campaign” in the Tory leadership race. During the first day of the Conservative Party conference, a controversy emerged over remarks by the shadow housing secretary, which seemed to label the current maternity benefit level as “excessive”.
Speaking to a news agency on Sunday evening, Ms Badenoch clarified her stance, stating that she considers maternity pay to be “a good thing” and not excessive. She claimed that social media was attempting to distort her words amid the campaign to succeed Rishi Sunak. Ms Badenoch emphasized the importance of discussing serious issues and hard truths, citing her experience as business secretary and concerns over excessive business regulation, while noting that maternity pay was not among those concerns.
Ms Badenoch initially made her comments about maternity pay on Times Radio, describing the benefit as a “function of tax” and suggesting that it was excessive because it involves redistributing funds from one group to another. She elaborated that the balance had shifted too far in terms of general business regulation, advocating for more decision-making freedom for businesses, particularly small enterprises.
“It is an extraordinarily risky affair, because as you saw with maternity pay today, you can be asked about an issue and there could be a controversy that springs from it.”@Lara_Spirit says Badenoch needs to avoid “certain controversies” to save her leadership bid. pic.twitter.com/l51uYAnxtn
— Times Radio (@TimesRadio) September 29, 2024
In contrast, Robert Jenrick, a rival in the leadership contest, expressed disagreement with Ms Badenoch’s view at a fringe event during the conference. As a father of three daughters, Mr Jenrick highlighted the importance of supporting working mothers and noted that UK maternity pay is already among the lowest in the OECD. He argued for maintaining the current level of maternity pay to avoid making it more challenging for working mothers.
Ms Badenoch stressed the need for an honest campaign free from misrepresentation, reflecting the desires of party members. She reiterated her commitment to campaigning with integrity and focusing on substantial issues rather than engaging in social media-driven distortions.
What Other Media Are Saying
- BBC News reports Tory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch criticizes statutory maternity pay as “excessive,” advocating for reduced government intervention and personal responsibility.(read more)
- Sky News reports Kemi Badenoch claims her maternity pay remarks were taken out of context, ahead of the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham.(read more)
- The Guardian reports on Kemi Badenoch’s controversial remarks about statutory maternity pay, sparking backlash from Tory rivals who emphasize the importance of supporting working mothers.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What did Kemi Badenoch say about maternity pay?
Kemi Badenoch said maternity pay is a good thing and not excessive.
Did Kemi Badenoch’s comments on maternity pay get misrepresented?
Yes, she claimed her comments were misrepresented on social media.
What does Kemi Badenoch want in the Tory leadership campaign?
She wants an honest campaign focused on serious issues and hard truths.
What was Robert Jenrick’s response to Badenoch’s maternity pay comments?
He disagreed and emphasized supporting working mums, noting UK’s low maternity pay in the OECD.
What did Robert Jenrick say about the current level of maternity pay?
He prefers maternity pay to stay at its current level, not lowered.
