Tory leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch has been mocked after claiming she became working class when she got a job in McDonalds.
The Shadow Housing Secretary, who is vying to succeed Rishi Sunak, also claimed she never has to apologise for gaffes because she thinks carefully about what she says. She worked at a branch of the fast-food chain while she was completing her A-levels before she later went on to work for private bank Coutts.
Ms Badenoch raised eyebrows when she told Chopper’s Political Podcast: “I grew up in a middle-class family, but I became working class when I was 16 working in McDonald’s.” Labour frontbencher Sir Chris Bryant responded to the clip on Twitter /X by saying: “I’m not sure that’s how it works”.
In the same interview, Ms Badenoch said: “I never have gaffes, or apologising for something… That’s not what I meant… I never have to clarify, because I think very careful about what I say.”
Following her remarks about class, one Twitter/X user joked: “I grew up working class, but became a member of the aristocracy during a school trip to Chatsworth House.” And radio host James O’Brien wrote: “In 1988, on holiday from public school, I spent two weeks working on a building site in Doncaster. In defence of Kemi Badenoch, I did actually turn in to Barry from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet…”
Ms Badenoch will be making her pitch to Tory members next week as she bids to become leader of the opposition. She is in the final four contenders to take over after the party’s General Election rout.
Right-winger Robert Jenrick is the favourite having got the backing of the most MPs in the last round of eliminations. Mr Jenrick got 33 votes, ahead of Ms Badenoch’s 28 and James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat on 21.
The four will be narrowed down to two, with Tory members – who previously inflicted Liz Truss on the country – choosing the overall winner. They will take charge of the party on November 2.