Kemi Badenoch Faces Backlash Over Class Remarks

Kemi Badenoch, a Tory leadership contender, sparked controversy by claiming she became 'working class' after working at McDonald's at 16, despite growing up in a middle-class family with educated parents. Her comments during a podcast interview have drawn widespread mockery and criticism on social media, including from Labour MP Chris Bryant, who questioned the validity of her statement. Badenoch's attempt to relate to ordinary Britons by emphasizing her employment history has been deemed lacking in self-awareness, with many users humorously countering her assertion. As she continues her campaign to lead the Tory Party, Badenoch trails behind frontrunner Robert Jenrick in a race marked by right-wing policy debates. The leadership contest will conclude on November 2, with party members set to choose the new leader. The backlash against her remarks illustrates the complexities of class identity in contemporary British society.