Kemi Badenoch Claims Misrepresentation Over Maternity Pay Comments Amid Tory Leadership Clash

Kemi Badenoch asserts her comments on maternity pay were distorted

Controversy flared up on the inaugural day of the Conservative Party conference when the candidate seemingly described the benefit as "excessive".

Political journalist @NifS

Sunday, September 29, 2024, at 6

Kemi Badenoch has stated that her comments on maternity pay were misconstrued, as she advocated for a "truthful campaign" in the race for the Conservative leadership.

The opening day of the Conservative Party conference was marked by controversy following remarks from the shadow housing secretary, who seemed to criticize the existing amount of the benefit as being too generous.

In a Sunday evening interview with Sky News, Ms. Badenoch expressed her support for maternity pay, stating, "I think it's a positive thing," and noted, "I don't believe it's too much."

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She stated that there was "some mischief being made on social media trying to misrepresent me" during the competition to succeed Rishi Sunak.

"The focus of my campaign will be on discussing significant, challenging realities," declared the candidate vying for leadership. "I plan to delve into my experiences as the former business secretary, including the feedback I received from companies regarding overly burdensome business regulations."

"Maternity pay doesn't fall into that category, but other aspects do. This is our path to recovery."

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She emphasized, "It's crucial that this leadership race is characterized by sincerity and accuracy, without distorting what is said."

"I don't usually get bothered by these things, however, our party members expect a campaign grounded in integrity, and that’s exactly what I'm advocating for."

Ms. Badenoch initially voiced her opinions on maternity pay during an interview on Times Radio, describing it as a "function of tax."

She further explained, "Tax is sourced from the earnings of the employed; essentially, it's redistributing funds from one segment of the population to another. I believe this to be overly excessive."

When confronted about his comments that maternity pay is "excessive," the ex-minister responded, "I believe it has overly extended, particularly in regard to overall business regulations. We should enable businesses, particularly small ones, to have more autonomy in their decision-making."

"In my opinion, the specific sum of maternity pay is not the main issue. It's crucial that we focus on establishing a workplace that supports both productivity and provides individuals with greater autonomy in making their personal choices."

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Following the interview, Robert Jenrick, a competitor in the Conservative leadership race, expressed his dissent at a side event during the conference. As a father to three girls, he emphasized his desire for them to receive the necessary support.

The ex-minister of immigration mentioned that the UK's maternity pay is "one of the lowest in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)" and emphasized, "We ought to strongly support… working mothers striving for progress… why should we increase their difficulties?"

When questioned by journalists on whether he supports an increase in maternity pay, he expressed his preference for maintaining the current rate, emphasizing that it should not be reduced.

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