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“Half truths & many lies: Fact checking Kemi Badenoch”

(129 Posts)
LizzieDrip Sat 15-Feb-25 23:03:42

From punchng.com/half-truths-many-lies-fact-checking-kemi-badenoch/?amp

Here’s an extract:

Claim 1
According to Ms Badenoch…
“I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation. I came back to the UK at age 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life …”

Findings
“Multiple sources revealed that Kemi spent her early years in Lagos, Nigeria, where she attended the International School Lagos, a private institution, and graduated in 1996 before returning permanently to the United Kingdom at 16.

In a tweet dated January 22, 2025, a Lagos-based tax consultant, Kayode Okunola, accused Badenoch of distorting her family’s history to fit a narrative of hardship.

“Dear @KemiBadenoch, stop lying about your background. You were never from a poor family! Your grandmother, ‘Iya Ondo,’ was a prominent lace and damask merchant on Kosoko Street in Balogun Market. Your mum was a professor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Your dad owned his clinic, your uncle was a dentist, and your aunt was among the Nigerian students recruited from the USA to the Central Bank of Nigeria,” Okunola wrote.
“If you were poor, what happened to the rest of us who prayed to come from families like yours? Your claims mock the memories of those who genuinely struggled without the opportunities your privileged upbringing afforded you. Please stop!” he added.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Okunola further shed light on the privileged status of Kemi’s family.
He said, “I knew her family well. My family and the Adegokes attended the same church—St. John’s Anglican Church, Aroloya, Lagos Island. Her grandmother, ‘Iya Ondo,’ was a renowned figure in Balogun Market, selling premium fabrics, which weren’t for poor people. Her father owned Iwosan Hospital in Surulere, and her mother was a prominent figure in the Physiology Department at the University of Lagos.
“In those days, only a select few could afford private schools like the International School Lagos, where Kemi studied. It was a school for the children of professors and the elite. Most of us attended government schools. Kemi’s claims of poverty are simply untrue. Her narrative misrepresents her background and mocks the struggles of genuinely underprivileged Nigerians.”

Well, well!

PoliticsNerd Sun 16-Feb-25 10:09:52

You are correct growstuff but there are some important nuances.

Prior to the British Nationality Act 1981, anyone born in the UK was automatically a British citizen. It seems Badenoch slipped in by a year. This could not happen now. We no longer have citizenship simply by birth in the UK.

Jaberwok Sun 16-Feb-25 10:22:34

Isn't it strange on here, that the vehement indignation and faux shock horror that is shown towards Conservative MPs is overwhelming, but towards Labour MPs who, apart from Rachels somewhat dubious CV, are by no means faultless, even charmingly referring to elderly voters as hags! the silence is deafening!

Cossy Sun 16-Feb-25 10:29:21

Lovetopaint037

Thanks for all this information. When she stood up the other day to have a go at Rachel Reeves in the H of C I thought “hang on surely you have a lot to answer for”as I recall various mistakes or errors of judgement before she became leader. There were certainly questions about her. Will have to ask dh as he remembers all these kind of details.

I agree, not sure RR has covered herself in glory.

Her “inaccurate” CV though, is not on the scale of KB blatant lies.

I’m hoping, tbh, both of them a replaced and soon.

We need a strong opposition, please god not another stream of Tory leaders and in-fighting, doesn’t help anyone.

Allira Sun 16-Feb-25 11:07:43

Badenoch's working class LizzieDrip!

She said so herself because she worked in McDonald's briefly as a student and gained her credentials.

Yes, we knew all about her background and her economy with the truth ages ago so how she ever became Tory leader is bewildering. You'd think they'd have learnt by past mistakes.
Her days as leader are numbered.

You'd think, too, that Reeves would learn from the mistakes of others and correct the "mistakes" on her CV and her career history. We'd have more respect for her if she did thst.

Allira Sun 16-Feb-25 11:08:50

Jaberwok

Isn't it strange on here, that the vehement indignation and faux shock horror that is shown towards Conservative MPs is overwhelming, but towards Labour MPs who, apart from Rachels somewhat dubious CV, are by no means faultless, even charmingly referring to elderly voters as hags! the silence is deafening!

Who called us hags? shock

Silverbrooks Sun 16-Feb-25 11:17:52

To be fair, Badenoch only got the job after James Cleverley’s supporters couldn’t muster the brain power to vote for the candidate they allegedly favoured.

Former MP Paul Goodman now Baron Goodman of Wycombe:

There’s always a chance that somebody can rise to the occasion and become a statesman when we least expect it. But in both these instances, these are people who have got flawed personalities. Kemi is divisive and aggressive and wrong about everything, and Jenrick* is manipulative – and can be manipulated*. They will be dancing on the **ing tables at Labour HQ.

I suspect Reeves from Accounts is on her way out. Richard Murphy (founder of the Tax Justice Network) talks lot of sense and thinks her fellow Cabinet members have had enough of her.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAfcBpbWxTA

Jaberwok Sun 16-Feb-25 11:39:21

WhatsApp.messages from Labour Councillors referred to the hag vote, while also charmingly hoping we hags would have 'croaked' before the next election!

growstuff Sun 16-Feb-25 11:45:45

PoliticsNerd

You are correct growstuff but there are some important nuances.

Prior to the British Nationality Act 1981, anyone born in the UK was automatically a British citizen. It seems Badenoch slipped in by a year. This could not happen now. We no longer have citizenship simply by birth in the UK.

I agree that we don't have citizenship by birthplace now, but Badenoch and one of her siblings were eligible - her parents were intelligent people and must have known that.

growstuff Sun 16-Feb-25 11:51:03

escaped

If Badenoch is lying, then, fair enough, she too deserves a severe rollicking on here.
I can't be bothered to check out much about her, because she is pretty ineffectual as Leader of the Opposition, and as such, I don't think she will last very long anyway.

She's my MP, which is why I know so much about her. She isn't even a good constituency MP, which is why she lost her huge majority at the last general election and almost lost the seat to a young, inexperienced Labour candidate, whom nobody had ever heard of.

LizzieDrip Sun 16-Feb-25 12:00:31

Allira
”Badenoch's working class LizzieDrip!”

Oh yes, of course she is - thanks for reminding me Allira😉

I’d completely forgotten that working in MacDonalds for a few weeks makes you working class - silly me🙈grin

GrannyGravy13 Sun 16-Feb-25 12:05:03

LizzieDrip

Allira
”Badenoch's working class LizzieDrip!”

Oh yes, of course she is - thanks for reminding me Allira😉

I’d completely forgotten that working in MacDonalds for a few weeks makes you working class - silly me🙈grin

Probably splitting hairs here but, aren’t all of us who work as opposed to living off of investments or mummy and daddy working class ?

A lie is a lie is a lie as far as I am concerned.

Missing something out, is lying by omission.

Anyone in the public eye must be aware that since the internet has become mainstream, almost everything is now in the public domain.

Mollygo Sun 16-Feb-25 12:34:03

Jaberwok

WhatsApp.messages from Labour Councillors referred to the hag vote, while also charmingly hoping we hags would have 'croaked' before the next election!

Thanks for the reference.

NonGrannyMoll Sun 16-Feb-25 12:37:24

Something I truly dislike about our brave new world is that I can never tell where fake news is coming from, much less decide how much of it is fake.

Jaberwok Sun 16-Feb-25 13:18:52

The people concerned have been suspended, which would tell one that it's true.

HousePlantQueen Sun 16-Feb-25 13:22:15

growstuff

As I've written before, she is my MP and I've known since she was selected that her claimed background was a sham. I would like to add to the above that after she had finished her A levels in the UK, she did a private "apprenticeship", which was actually an expensive networking exercise for young people aiming for elite careers. She's now deleted all mention of her "gap year" from social media accounts. Her family was/is a prominent family in Lagos.

Yes, and as I understand it, by coming back here to the country of her birth at 16, she was able to fulfil the 3 years residency rule to qualify for UK student rates rather than overseas.

Grantanow Sun 16-Feb-25 13:33:12

She's a Tory - what do you expect?

HousePlantQueen Sun 16-Feb-25 13:37:43

Anyone in the public eye must be aware that since the internet has become mainstream, almost everything is now in the public domain

I agree, GG13, and this is why the situation with Rachel Reeves angers me; prior to her appointment, all checks should have been made that all records were true and consistent. Her appointment as chancellor surely did not hinge on whether she had 5.25 or 10 years within the Bank of England. The party wonks have failed here.

As to Ms Badenoch, she is a very poor Leader of the Opposition which is an important position. It is not just about being senior in the group hoping to take control after the next election, it is about being head of His Majesty's Opposition, responsible for questioning, challenging, scrutinising the existing party in power. As such, with her ill prepared, bad tempered speeches and outbursts, Ms Badenoch is not doing her job.

Smileless2012 Sun 16-Feb-25 14:08:43

She's a politician - what do you expect?

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sun 16-Feb-25 14:12:57

escaped

If Badenoch is lying, then, fair enough, she too deserves a severe rollicking on here.
I can't be bothered to check out much about her, because she is pretty ineffectual as Leader of the Opposition, and as such, I don't think she will last very long anyway.

You encapsulated exactly my feelings on her with your post escaped! Thank you.

PoliticsNerd Sun 16-Feb-25 14:19:46

Jaberwok

WhatsApp.messages from Labour Councillors referred to the hag vote, while also charmingly hoping we hags would have 'croaked' before the next election!

Which council?

PoliticsNerd Sun 16-Feb-25 14:31:24

Jaberwok

The people concerned have been suspended, which would tell one that it's true.

The person concerned was sacked by Keir Starmer the day after this was exposed. He sounded a nasty piece of work but they come in all parties. Labour acted quickly and efficiently.

Perhaps check the facts next time.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 16-Feb-25 14:39:26

Oliver Ryan MP has been suspended from Labour Party also.

Along with Gwynne they are still MP’s unless their constituency decide to deselect them.

PoliticsNerd Sun 16-Feb-25 15:23:16

Sometimes you realise just how complex democracy is GrannyGravy13. I do wonder if that is partially what turns people to the person who offers to to take it all off their hands.

growstuff Sun 16-Feb-25 15:31:48

HousePlantQueen

growstuff

As I've written before, she is my MP and I've known since she was selected that her claimed background was a sham. I would like to add to the above that after she had finished her A levels in the UK, she did a private "apprenticeship", which was actually an expensive networking exercise for young people aiming for elite careers. She's now deleted all mention of her "gap year" from social media accounts. Her family was/is a prominent family in Lagos.

Yes, and as I understand it, by coming back here to the country of her birth at 16, she was able to fulfil the 3 years residency rule to qualify for UK student rates rather than overseas.

She was indeed! She was in the sixth form for two years, followed by a year doing an "apprenticeship". She wouldn't have paid student fees at the time she did her degree because she qualified as a home student and fees hadn't been introduced.

Allira Sun 16-Feb-25 15:51:19

Jaberwok

WhatsApp.messages from Labour Councillors referred to the hag vote, while also charmingly hoping we hags would have 'croaked' before the next election!

Oh yes, that lot of charmers!