Kemi Badenoch has appeared to confirm she had “tough words” with underperforming Conservative Party staff members.
The Tory leader responded to recent reports that in all staff call with members of Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), she urged the party machine to “do better”.
Asked if it was true that she had told some CCHQ staff they were not up to the job, Badenoch told BBC News: “I believe that everyone who works for the Conservative Party needs to be fully dedicated to the mission.”
Pressed on whether she was saying that some staff members are not dedicated, Badenoch insisted she would always intervene when “people aren’t doing a great job”.
She said: “It is what the members have asked for. And if we feel that there are people who are doing a great job, we will tell them. And when people aren’t doing a great job, we will do the same. We need to make sure that we have good feedback. And one of the things that I want to see.”
She added: “What I want people to know is that we want to have a high performing organisation. And leadership isn’t just about telling everybody how great they are. Sometimes it’s about telling them how to improve.
“And quite frankly, one of the things that we’re seeing in this country is millions of people out of work, and not enough people pulling their socks up and getting back on their feet.
“We need sometimes to have tough words when people aren’t doing well, and words of praise when they are doing well. And that’s exactly what I did.”
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The comments came as Badenoch unveiled her first major policy as Conservative leader. She told the BBC that immigrants should only be able to apply for British citizenship after being in the country for 15 years rather than six.
Badenoch also said that indefinite leave to remain, which someone must have before considering applying for citizenship, should only be given to those who do not have criminal records and who have not claimed benefits or social housing.
Badenoch said that citizenship is a privilege for those who have developed a “meaningful connection to the UK”.
Speaking to BBC News, Badenoch claimed the rules as they stand have created a “conveyor belt” to citizenship and that too many people gaining citizenship in this way is “creating a strain on public services”.
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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