Baroness Jenkin of Kennington is the co-founder of Women2Win
I have held back on writing about the leadership contest until this stage. My view is my view, not of any organisation.
My goal with Women2Win has always been not just to support women to stand but encourage the right women to stand – those who have what it takes, who right across the spectrum of our party, from all viewpoints, embody conservative principles and will fight for the right policies.
This matters because there has been a growing sense among the public that politicians do not stand for anything, or that if they do, it is not the interests of the general public whom they are elected to serve. They don’t want to make a fuss or make a stand – even when important issues are at stake.
Take women and girls’ safety for example. Too many politicians (including from our own side) have been floundering and flummoxed when asked questions about basic biology. Or whether we should remove the limited number of protected spaces for biological women.
Kemi Badenoch has consistently stood by her convictions on the key issues of our time. Even when it was not popular with the establishment political class, the Civil Service, or her opponents. She does not say one thing and then a few months later, when it is advantageous, turn around and say something else.
I first met Kemi early on in her political career and have followed her progress and supported her since then. I spotted her potential and have been impressed by her willingness to speak her mind, her courage in tackling issues, and her ability to take things back to first principles and come up with systemic solutions to our problems.
Kemi knew, long before our party woke up to it, how dangerous gender identity ideology was. Against official government advice, as a junior minister, she met with Keira Bell, a young lesbian who had been put on puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, and had her breasts cut off.
Kemi was advised not to meet Bell, because at that time questioning the actions of the now infamous Tavistock clinic was discouraged. It was just a few short years later that Kemi would be instrumental in holding the Tavistock to account, which has since been shut down for serious failures against countless children and teenagers.
She has always asked the right questions and is not afraid when she is criticised for asking them. She took on Nicola Sturgeon’s absurd Gender Recognition Reform Bill, working tirelessly with other ministers to block it, setting in train Sturgeon’s downfall.
Kemi has also been pivotal in moving Labour’s own position on women’s rights and medical interventions for under 18’s. The fact that Labour have shifted significantly on this issue towards a more sensible approach is because Kemi was prepared to suffer the abuse and condemnation of Labour politicians and pressure groups and stand up for what she believed.
She has always supported the right of adults to live their lives as they wish – but she has been smeared for doing the right thing on women’s rights and child safeguarding. She knows that taking a principled stance will not always be easy, but she does not get deflected by criticism.
Kemi’s courage in her convictions, her consistency and her willingness to do the right thing even when it is the unpopular thing is why we need her as the Conservative party leader. She has my full support.
Baroness Jenkin of Kennington is the co-founder of Women2Win
I have held back on writing about the leadership contest until this stage. My view is my view, not of any organisation.
My goal with Women2Win has always been not just to support women to stand but encourage the right women to stand – those who have what it takes, who right across the spectrum of our party, from all viewpoints, embody conservative principles and will fight for the right policies.
This matters because there has been a growing sense among the public that politicians do not stand for anything, or that if they do, it is not the interests of the general public whom they are elected to serve. They don’t want to make a fuss or make a stand – even when important issues are at stake.
Take women and girls’ safety for example. Too many politicians (including from our own side) have been floundering and flummoxed when asked questions about basic biology. Or whether we should remove the limited number of protected spaces for biological women.
Kemi Badenoch has consistently stood by her convictions on the key issues of our time. Even when it was not popular with the establishment political class, the Civil Service, or her opponents. She does not say one thing and then a few months later, when it is advantageous, turn around and say something else.
I first met Kemi early on in her political career and have followed her progress and supported her since then. I spotted her potential and have been impressed by her willingness to speak her mind, her courage in tackling issues, and her ability to take things back to first principles and come up with systemic solutions to our problems.
Kemi knew, long before our party woke up to it, how dangerous gender identity ideology was. Against official government advice, as a junior minister, she met with Keira Bell, a young lesbian who had been put on puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, and had her breasts cut off.
Kemi was advised not to meet Bell, because at that time questioning the actions of the now infamous Tavistock clinic was discouraged. It was just a few short years later that Kemi would be instrumental in holding the Tavistock to account, which has since been shut down for serious failures against countless children and teenagers.
She has always asked the right questions and is not afraid when she is criticised for asking them. She took on Nicola Sturgeon’s absurd Gender Recognition Reform Bill, working tirelessly with other ministers to block it, setting in train Sturgeon’s downfall.
Kemi has also been pivotal in moving Labour’s own position on women’s rights and medical interventions for under 18’s. The fact that Labour have shifted significantly on this issue towards a more sensible approach is because Kemi was prepared to suffer the abuse and condemnation of Labour politicians and pressure groups and stand up for what she believed.
She has always supported the right of adults to live their lives as they wish – but she has been smeared for doing the right thing on women’s rights and child safeguarding. She knows that taking a principled stance will not always be easy, but she does not get deflected by criticism.
Kemi’s courage in her convictions, her consistency and her willingness to do the right thing even when it is the unpopular thing is why we need her as the Conservative party leader. She has my full support.