1. She’s an engineer – however not the sort that builds bridges
Through the marketing campaign, Badenoch made a lot of her engineering background, arguing that it allowed her to view issues in an analytical method, unburdened by ideology. She will not be incorrect to name herself an engineer, however her undergraduate diploma and grasp’s, from the College of Sussex, had been in pc programs engineering.
She went on to work as a software program engineer, earlier than branching out into consultancy and monetary providers. Badenoch may additionally name herself a lawyer, having additionally accomplished a bachelor of regulation diploma part-time at Birkbeck, College of London – however tends to be quieter about this.
2. She’s a fan of Ron DeSantis, and it’s mutual
Whereas Badenoch managed to fashion herself because the extra reasonable of the ultimate two candidates, she is an enthusiastic, US-style tradition warrior, and has received the admiration of Ron DeSantis, the hardline Republican governor of Florida, who has waged his personal battles towards the obvious scourge of “woke” considering, together with a ban on many books from faculty libraries.
Endorsing Badenoch to be Tory chief, DeSantis stated she “flies the flag of daring colors” of conservatism. The pair acquired to know one another when Badenoch was commerce secretary, with DeSantis telling a UK newspaper that she instructed him she backed his insurance policies, which have additionally included a collection of insurance policies concentrating on LGBTQ+ communities.
“She complimented what we’re doing in Florida,” DeSantis stated. “She dedicated that it’s what they’re attempting to do in Britain.”
3. A number of the fights she picks are curious, and minor
One of many issues about Badenoch maybe best-known amongst voters is her willingness to wade right into a combat and a few get pleasure from her pugilistic strategy. However amongst some Tory MPs, there’s a fear that she will be too haphazard over this.
Maybe probably the most putting instance got here in 2021 when the then-relatively little identified equalities minister took to Twitter to lambast a journalist for being “creepy and weird” by asking what gave the impression to be some pretty routine questions. Boris Johnson’s No 10 defended Badenoch, however in personal, a variety of officers and MPs had been baffled.
4. Generally she will additionally tackle the Tory proper
Whereas Badenoch is, by most definitions, from the populist-leaning facet of her get together, and at all times supported leaving the EU – not like Robert Jenrick – she will not be universally common with the Brexiter proper wing of the Conservatives.
A few of this dates again to 2023 when, as enterprise secretary, Badenoch pushed by means of a U-turn over a promise to ditch 1000’s of EU legal guidelines retained on the UK’s statute books by the top of the yr. Badenoch introduced this as pragmatism, however was confronted by open fury from Tory Brexiters akin to Mark Francois.
A number of the anger was merely a results of the choice, however a part of it got here from Badenoch’s personal strategy, responding to a Commons pressing query on the matter with, as one observer put it, “astonishing rudeness” at instances.
5. She hacked Harriet Harman’s web site – and admitted it
Usually when politicians are requested in interviews to call the naughtiest factor they’ve ever performed, they concoct an enthralling and self-effacing anecdote about delicate boisterousness. When Badenoch was requested, she admitted a possible breach of the Laptop Misuse Act, an offence carrying a jail time period of as much as 5 years.
This was 2018, when a video during which Badenoch replied to the query emerged, during which the then new MP stated: “About 10 years in the past, I hacked right into a Labour MP’s web site and I modified stuff in there to say good issues about Tories.”
It turned out that she had put up a pretend submit on Harriet Harman’s web site in 2008, saying Harman backed Boris Johnson within the London mayoral elections, having guessed the web site password. Fortunately, Harman accepted her apology.
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