British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has condemned what she described as racist attacks against her after a former aide to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage referred to her as a “Nigerian scammer” on social media.
Badenoch said the comments, which highlighted her Nigerian background, reflected an attempt by political opponents to exploit her race for political advantage. She insisted that such attacks would not succeed in undermining her standing.
The controversy followed a series of social media posts by Raheem Kassam, a former senior aide to Farage, who accused Badenoch of using her Nigerian heritage to advance her political career.
In one post, Kassam described her as an “unrelenting scammer”, while another warned people against giving her their credit card numbers and bank account details.
Reacting during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Badenoch said the remarks demonstrated the character of those making the attacks.
She argued that Reform UK politicians were devoting too much attention to attacking her instead of discussing policies that could improve the lives of British citizens.
Badenoch maintained that attempts to use her racial background against her would not work, insisting that Britain was not a racist country.
The controversy has also placed Reform UK figures under scrutiny over their response to the remarks.
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, declined to describe Kassam’s comments as racist during a television interview. Although he acknowledged that the remarks could be unpleasant or rude, he argued that he was not responsible for policing every social media post made by people who might support the party.
Farage also rejected the suggestion that the comments were intentionally racist. While describing the language as excessive, he argued that referring to Badenoch’s upbringing in Nigeria was not, in itself, racist.
The dispute comes amid growing political tensions between the Conservatives and Reform UK, which has sought to attract voters who previously supported the Conservative Party.
Badenoch, who was born in London and spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, has led the Conservative Party since November 2024.
The incident has reignited debate about race, political accountability and the language used by public figures in Britain’s increasingly competitive political environment.
A Labour Party spokesperson also criticised Jenrick’s response, arguing that condemning racism should be a matter of basic decency rather than party politics.
The row continues to generate reactions across the British political landscape, with questions being raised about the boundaries between political criticism, personal attacks and racial stereotyping.
