Kemi Badenoch Denounces Bullying Allegations as ‘False Smears’ Amid Tory Leadership Campaign

Kemi Badenoch vehemently denies allegations of bullying, labeling them as completely unfounded attacks. The ex-business secretary, currently a contender for the Conservative leadership, asserts that these accusations aim to sabotage her campaign.

Political journalist @Journoamrogers

Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10

Kemi Badenoch has dismissed accusations of bullying, labeling them as "smears" intended to undermine her bid for the Conservative leadership.

The opposition's housing spokesperson criticized The Guardian for launching a smear campaign following an article that alleged she fostered a "hostile" environment at the Department of Business and Trade during her tenure as secretary – allegations she has vehemently refuted.

In a message on X, Ms. Badenoch refuted the claims, labeling them as "defamations by previous employees whom I dismissed following accusations of them bullying others, deceiving about peers to hide their shortcomings, and overall severe ineptitude – unacceptable actions that I could not tolerate."

The Guardian reports that Ms. Badenoch, who is considered a leading candidate to succeed Rishi Sunak as the Conservative leader, has been criticized for fostering a "toxic" environment in the business department during her tenure as the business and trade secretary under the previous prime minister.

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According to the newspaper, insiders reported that the actions of one individual were so distressing that at least three officials felt compelled to resign from their positions.

On December 13 of the previous year, The Guardian reported that a high-ranking official convened a community meeting to discuss issues related to the department's culture following reports of diminished morale.

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Reports have surfaced from sources claiming that a minimum of three high-ranking staff members in Ms Badenoch's personal office experienced feelings of being ousted due to behavior described as "bullying and traumatizing" from the ex-cabinet minister during her tenure as business secretary.

On Sunday, Ms. Badenoch joined the leadership contest as the sixth candidate, following the historic electoral loss that led Mr. Sunak to step down.

The opposition's housing spokesperson entered the competition for Conservative Party leadership, alongside James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Jenrick, and Mel Stride, as well as Priti Patel who initiated her campaign over the weekend.

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Ms. Badenoch stated that her campaign for the Conservative leadership had alarmed the left-wing factions, who are now targeting her as the one individual capable of defeating Keir Starmer.

She added, "The business department has informed The Guardian that there were no complaints or investigations against me. It's completely untrue."

She continued, "I refuse to allow this to hinder me or my campaign efforts. The revitalization of both my party and the nation is far too crucial to permit the Guardian, which is representing the Labour Party, to interfere."

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A representative from the Department for Business and Trade stated: "We are not able to discuss specific HR issues. Nonetheless, it's important to note that there have been no official complaints or inquiries regarding the former secretary of state's behavior within this department.

"Government agencies often gather opinions from public employees and typically review the findings during regular staff meetings. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment or bullying."

Ms. Badenoch kicked off her campaign by promising to be truthful with voters after her party's defeat on July 4th, where they were left with only 121 seats in the legislature.

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