'We know what a woman is': Badenoch woos crowds with swipe at Starmer over trans rights

Kemi Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch is set to hit out at Labour for blaming all of the UK's problems on Brexit

PA
Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 02/10/2023

- 09:32

Updated: 02/10/2023

- 17:37

She refused to apologise for the Conservative Party's defence of 'common sense'

Kemi Badenoch has taken a swipe at the Labour party, suggesting they do not "know what a woman is".

Badenoch used her speech at the Conservative Party Conference to defend the Tory party's stance on trans rights.


She told the conference hall in Manchester: "The Left accuses us of fighting a culture war. But we will not apologise for fighting for common sense."

The Business Secretary added: "I will not apologise for fighting for a society that knows what a woman is."

Starmer

Badenoch will criticise Labour for "relentlessly wanting to talk down our country"

PA

She also hit out at Labour for blaming all of the UK's problems on Brexit.

Badenoch criticised the party for "relentlessly wanting to talk down our country", saying Sir Keir Starmer's only answer is to "ask the EU what to do next".

The Business Secretary called for Eurosceptics to keep advertising the benefits of being outside the EU, warning that if they stop they will "lose".

She warned that Starmer is "not someone who believes in the UK’s ability to think for itself".

In her conference speech, Badenoch said: "It is only when I am back in the UK that l am told that all these issues are down to Brexit.

"Our political opponents are obsessed with viewing every problem as Brexit, relentlessly wanting to talk down our country."

She warned that claims about 'Brexit damage' are untrue, instead heralding the benefits of the UK's exit from the EU.

The MP said: "I’m not here to tell you that leaving the EU was without challenges.

"That would not be true.

"People knew it would take time and there would be challenges along the way."

Badenoch also used her speech to warn of the threats from the Rejoin movement, saying: "We must acknowledge what we might lose if we assume the arguments are won forever.

"The people who tell you that Brexit is the cause of every problem do so because they think the answer to everything is the EU.

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"Listen to what Keir Starmer says.

"His answer to the global challenges we face is to tax more, regulate more and ask the EU what to do next."

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