July 12, 2022 - 3:30pm
Earlier today, UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers caught up with recently deposed cabinet minister Michael Gove at the launch of his favourite to be the new Tory leader and prime minister, Kemi Badenoch. Does his support denote serious backing for a potential prime minister? Here’s what he had to say.
MG: I’m delighted to be supporting Kemi. I think she’s absolutely fantastic.
FS: Is she experienced enough? Are you worried that she hasn’t got Cabinet experience?
MG: I’ve worked with Kemi, and I’ve seen her take really complex policy issues, get to the heart of them, use systems, thinking, logic, and conservative principles to drive change, to make an argument for change. And then to deliver it. I worked alongside her in Whitehall. And to my mind she has all the policy, intellect and the administrative grip to hit the ground running from day one.
FS: Philosophically she’s thought of as being very strong on cultural issues, but economically, they say she’s Thatcherite. It’s all small government — there’s not much of the “Red Tory” that was so talked about the previous general election. Do you think that’s true? Is she a straightforward Thatcherite economically?
MG: She’s a Badenochite. The key thing about Kemi, when it comes to economics, when it comes to every issue, she faces the facts full on. She believes in limited government and doing less, better. I think it’s absolutely critical that we get the basics right, whether people are in red wall seats, blue wall seats, or wherever. They want a government that is focussed on essentials. And that is what Kemi will deliver.
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SubscribeIt’s got to be Kemi!
I backed her at 16/1. Hoping she will create an unstoppable momentum as Cameron did and that the membership will grab the chance to reinvent the party and save us all from an SNP – Labour – Green – LibDem supergroup horror show.
The reason Boris failed is because he didn’t appoint competent people around him to shore up his weaknesses. Kemi seems more intelligent & stable & confident in herself so would probably get an experienced team in her cabinet. I hope she gets through to the last round. Conservative members want her.
I never know with Gove, it sounds like he is right behind her. He is straight out of House of Cards, very amusing though.
Rishi won’t let her get to the last two