British Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has condemned what she described as racist attacks against her following derogatory comments by Raheem Kassam, a former adviser to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who labelled her a “Nigerian scammer” in social media posts.
Badenoch made the remarks during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, October 29, where she accused some Reform UK figures of exploiting her Nigerian background for political advantage.
Kassam, a former senior aide to Farage and former editor-in-chief of Breitbart News, had described Badenoch as an “unrelenting scammer” and alleged that she used her Nigerian heritage to advance her career. In another post, he warned people against giving her their credit card and bank account details.
Reacting to the comments, Badenoch said the attacks would not succeed, insisting that Britain was not a racist country. She also accused her political opponents of focusing more on personal attacks against her than on explaining how they intended to improve the lives of citizens.
The controversy also drew attention to Reform UK’s Treasury spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, who declined to describe Kassam’s comments as racist when questioned during an ITV interview. Jenrick acknowledged that the remarks could be unpleasant or rude but said he was not responsible for policing the social media posts of Reform supporters.
Farage also faced questions over the comments during an appearance on BBC Breakfast. While describing the remark as over the top, he maintained that he did not believe it was intentionally racist.
The row has further intensified political tensions between the Conservative Party and Reform UK, particularly over issues of race, identity and immigration in Britain.
Badenoch, who was born in the United Kingdom and raised partly in Nigeria, has repeatedly spoken about her Nigerian heritage and British identity.
