Kemi Badenoch urges former Tory voters to ‘come back’ and not support Reform UK
Ms Badenoch, who is running for re-election in the redrawn North West Essex seat, told The Times she believes the Tories can win the election.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has said prospective Reform UK voters are “good people” who “don’t know who they’re voting for” as she addressed former Tory voters less than a week before the General Election.
Ms Badenoch, who is running for re-election in the redrawn North West Essex seat, told The Times she still believed the Tories could win the election but it was “going to be a hell of a fight”.
She said: “What I am asking those people who are Reform voters, or considering voting Reform, is that you are good people, I know that you feel some disappointment with our party, but don’t let these people who claim to be like you get in.
“They are not like you all. They are a totally different thing.”
Ms Badenoch continued: “I really want Reform voters to know that we’ve heard you. We understand. But you need to come back to the Conservative Party.”
She also warned that Reform candidates were “not fit” to make important political decisions and told Tories they should not allow its leader Nigel Farage to join their ranks.
It comes as the latest YouGov poll put Mr Farage’s party only one percentage point below the Conservatives, who polled at 18% to Labour’s 36%.
Ms Badenoch also suggested Mr Farage did not care about allegations of misogyny and racism in his party as it was “all a big show for him”.
Footage from a Channel 4 undercover investigation, released on Thursday, showed Reform campaigner Andrew Parker using a racist term about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and suggesting migrants should be used as “target practice”.
During his stint on Question Time on Friday, Mr Farage repeated claims that Mr Parker is an actor and he described the expose as “a political set-up of astonishing proportions”.
He added he was “not going to apologise” as what had happened was a “set-up, a deliberate attempt to smear us”.
Ms Badenoch also suggested many Reform supporters “don’t know who they’re voting for”.
The senior Conservative – who ran for party leadership in 2022 – hinted earlier this week at a tilt at the top job, saying “we will talk about leadership things after an election” and refusing to rule out her own bid.