Kemi Badenoch, a Tory leadership contender, has ignited fresh controversy after suggesting that the national minimum wage is “over-burdening” businesses. Her remarks, made during the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, have drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Labour, and are the latest in a series of contentious statements to hit her campaign.
Speaking to party members, Badenoch recounted a conversation with a business owner in her constituency who said she could no longer afford to pay the wages required by law. Badenoch remarked:
“There’s a café in my constituency that closed down, and the lady who owned it said, ‘I can’t afford to pay the wages anymore. I can’t afford minimum wage. I can’t afford for my staff to go on maternity.’ We are overburdening businesses. We are overburdening them with regulation, with tax. People aren’t starting businesses anymore because they’re too scared.”
Mixed Messages on Minimum Wage
While Badenoch’s comments have sparked outrage, her campaign team has downplayed the controversy. A source close to the leadership hopeful told HuffPost UK that her remarks had been “ridiculously over-interpreted” and insisted that she was merely pointing out the difficulties small businesses face due to excessive regulation.
However, when asked directly if Badenoch supports the national minimum wage, which was introduced by Labour in 1998, the source failed to provide a clear answer. Instead, they reiterated her stance on reducing regulatory burdens, stating, “She’s not putting out policy, it’s about ideas.”
Maternity Pay Row Resurfaces
This controversy comes just days after Badenoch faced backlash for appearing to suggest that statutory maternity pay was “excessive.” Although she later clarified her position, saying, “Of course, I believe in maternity pay,” her comments have left many questioning her stance on key policies affecting working families.
A Labour spokesperson weighed in on the issue, saying, “The mask is slipping. After suggesting maternity pay is ‘excessive,’ how much more damage does Kemi Badenoch want to inflict on working families? The Tory war on the lowest paid in our country shows they haven’t learnt a thing.”
Impact on Badenoch’s Leadership Bid
Badenoch’s remarks on both the minimum wage and maternity pay have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, raising concerns about her leadership bid. As the Tory leadership race heats up, Badenoch’s comments may alienate voters who rely on policies like the minimum wage to maintain their livelihoods.
Her stance on reducing regulations to boost economic growth has been met with resistance from those who argue that weakening protections for workers will do more harm than good.
With this fresh controversy, it remains to be seen how Badenoch will navigate the political fallout and whether it will affect her chances in the leadership race.
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