KEMI Badenoch has been blasted over a “hateful” joke she made calling Reform “trans Conservatives”.
The Tory leader made the comparison at an event at the party’s conference in Manchester on Sunday evening, The Times reports.
According to the paper, she told the northern reception event that Reform were “trans Conservatives”, adding: “They wear the clothes of Conservatives but they aren’t real Conservatives.”
Her comments have been slated as “harmful” by campaigners.
Vic Valentine, manager of the charity Scottish Trans, told The National: “What is Kemi Badenoch talking about?
“The only ‘trans Conservatives’ are those trans people who continue to be members of or vote for this party.
“Suggesting in any way that being trans is just about the clothes you wear is deeply harmful and completely inaccurate. Politicians from any party should not use a group of people who frequently face discrimination and harassment for a cheap joke in a speech.”
A Scottish Greens spokesperson added: “I’m sure Kemi Badenoch thought mocking a minority group was comedy gold, but in reality, she is just another right-wing grifter trying to copy Trump's style of hatred to make personal gains and take power for her ultra-rich supporters.
“Instead of making hateful jokes to an empty conference hall, she could reflect on her record-low polling and party infighting, which is fuelling the fascists in Reform.”
Badenoch’s party is trailing behind Reform UK, with a recent Ipsos poll putting Nigel Farage’s party on 34% compared with the Tories’ taking 14% of support.
The Conservatives and Reform UK were approached for comment.
