Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, stated she was "thrilled" that her Edinburgh Fringe Festival event on Saturday sold more tickets than appearances by Scottish National Party figures Nicola Sturgeon and Stephen Flynn. Badenoch made the remarks while speaking with broadcaster Iain Dale at his Fringe show.
Dale reported that Badenoch's event was the top-selling show of his Fringe program. "I’m thrilled I beat Nicola Sturgeon – politicians are always competitive so you’re comfortable keeping scores," Badenoch said, according to the Daily Mail. Her talk took place before an afternoon session featuring Stephen Flynn.
Badenoch also commented on the relationship between Scotland and the SNP, describing it as "very dysfunctional." She added, "I do feel a pull to Scotland, because I see this as a place that should be more Conservative than it is. I see it as a place that feels like it gets ignored by Westminster, and so has run into the arms of the SNP, and the SNP and Scotland have been a very bad marriage, very dysfunctional."
She also addressed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal for a "Number 10 North" outpost in Manchester. Badenoch dismissed the plan, suggesting that Scotland represents the "real north" and that people there are also "getting sick of it."
Furthermore, Badenoch reiterated her stance against forming a coalition with Reform UK following the next General Election, stating she would prefer another election in the event of a hung parliament. She criticized individuals who left the Conservative Party during difficult times, stating, "These are people who left us when were at our lowest, many of them the people who caused the problems in the first place and then ran away and pretended they had nothing to do with it. Why should we have them back?" Badenoch concluded by saying she seeks "people who are serious about delivering for the country" rather than "drama queens."
