Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has once again dismissed the possibility of an electoral pact with Reform UK, characterizing Nigel Farage's party as 'woke' and accusing it of promoting grievance.
Speaking on the Political Currency podcast, Badenoch stated that she would not enter into any agreement with Reform UK, either before or after the next general election. She emphasized her goal to 'unite the country' rather than 'unite the Right,' asserting that governing requires support from more than just one segment of the electorate.
Badenoch elaborated on her use of the term 'woke,' explaining it refers to a mindset focused on 'grievance,' 'victim narratives,' and 'oppressor narratives.' She differentiated this by saying that while the left might identify oppressors as white people or men, the right-wing equivalent, in her view, targets the 'establishment.' She characterized Reform UK's approach as characterized by 'moaning and whingeing' rather than offering practical solutions.
Recent polling indicates Reform UK with 23% support, Labour at 22%, and the Conservatives at 19%. Calls have emerged from some quarters for the Conservatives and Reform UK to form a pact to prevent a Labour victory.
Nigel Farage recently expressed openness to discussions with a group called Restore Britain, which had offered to help 'unite the Right' against Labour. However, Badenoch's comments suggest such a coalition is unlikely from the Conservative perspective, labeling a deal a 'non-starter.'
Farage is currently engaged in a by-election campaign in Clacton, which he has described as a contest between 'people versus the establishment.' He had previously resigned as a Member of Parliament amid scrutiny over a significant gift received before his election.
In response to Badenoch's remarks, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, suggested that the Conservative party itself has grievances. He cited the Conservative government's record on immigration, stating that despite promises to reduce legal immigration, the party has overseen a significant increase in illegal crossings. Yusuf also pointed to the Conservative party's recent selection of a former neo-Nazi, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, as a local election candidate, who later withdrew after widespread condemnation. Reform UK sources have sarcastically suggested that being 'woke' apparently means not having neo-Nazis in one's party.
Bonehill-Paine had been selected to run in the Crewkerne South ward for the Conservatives but withdrew after facing outrage from Jewish groups. He had previously been jailed in 2016 for racially aggravated harassment and for producing an advertisement for a neo-Nazi rally that referenced the Auschwitz concentration camp. Badenoch, who had initially defended Bonehill-Paine's candidacy, expressed regret over his withdrawal but stated he would work with the Conservatives on tackling radicalization.