Kemi Badenoch, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of hypocrisy after he made a quip about her time working at McDonald’s, arguing that a Conservative leader making a similar joke about a Black politician would face allegations of racism and calls for resignation.  

 

The controversy began with a speech by Starmer at Pinewood Studios, where he remarked on Badenoch’s comments about her experience working at McDonald’s during her youth. Starmer joked, *“You know, the leader of the Opposition thinks if you do a couple of shifts in McDonald’s, you become working class. So by that logic, if I keep coming back here – I could yet be the next James Bond.”*  

 

Badenoch responded strongly during a Thursday evening address, emphasizing what she perceived as a double standard in how ethnic minorities are treated by political parties. She said, *“The truth is that the left are not that interested in ethnic minorities except as a tool to fight their battles against the right.”* She continued, *“He would never have dared to do that if I was a left-wing activist. And if a Conservative prime minister had made those comments about a Black party leader, they would have been called a racist and asked to resign.”*  

 

Badenoch’s time at McDonald’s has been a central part of her personal narrative, often shared to highlight the lessons she learned about humility and hard work. She has spoken about how the job exposed her to a different socioeconomic reality, contrasting with her middle-class upbringing. On Christopher Hope’s *Chopper’s Political Podcast*, she reflected, *“I grew up in a middle-class family, but I became working class when I was 16 working at McDonald’s.”*  

 

Describing her experiences, she added, *“It was the first time I ever interacted properly with people who didn’t come from the sort of background that I came from. Just understanding how many people there were single parents, and they were working there to make ends meet. There’s a humility there as well. You had to wash toilets, there were no special cleaners coming in. You had to wash toilets, you had to flip burgers, you had to handle money.”*  

 

The controversy has sparked broader discussions about the intersection of race, class, and political discourse. While Badenoch’s remarks about the alleged hypocrisy of the left drew support from some Tory figures, Starmer’s comments were defended by his allies as harmless humor.  

 

Based on a report by Sky News 2024-12-09

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps Mr Starmer should try a couple of shifts in McDonald's, get a glimpse of the work they do there. 

I’m warming to Starmer by the day.

 I think his joke was funny and Baddenoch’s reaction shows just what a snowflake she is.

Sounds to me like she’s playing the race card. 
 

But I’ll wait for the subject matter experts who are more attuned to spotting it to chip in before I make my mind up.

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Sounds to me like she’s playing the race card. 
 

But I’ll wait for the subject matter experts who are more attuned to spotting it to chip in before I make my mind up.

Love it............Chip in!!!

 

Badenoch's attempts to take bites out of/score points against Starmer are already starting to wear thin.

 

She would do much better to stick substantial matters of State and try to be more Statesperson like, than student politician who is out of their depth and sniping for the sake of it.

"You had to wash toilets, you had to flip burgers, you had to handle money".

 

Hopefully, not all at the same time?

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Sounds to me like she’s playing the race card. 
 

But I’ll wait for the subject matter experts who are more attuned to spotting it to chip in before I make my mind up.

 

I agree with you (for a change) and it is embarrassing that Badenoch is lowering herself to race grifting.  There was no racist intent in the joke that Starmers script writers provided for him and jokes are just that... jokes.  This one was mildly amusing, completely harmless and only a weak leader would take umbrage with it.  She is really not cut out to be a conservative leader and my concerns that she only got the job so that she could provide exactly this kind of DEI defense against Labour criticisms seem to be merited.   

1 hour ago, James105 said:

 

I agree with you (for a change) and it is embarrassing that Badenoch is lowering herself to race grifting.  There was no racist intent in the joke that Starmers script writers provided for him and jokes are just that... jokes.  This one was mildly amusing, completely harmless and only a weak leader would take umbrage with it.  She is really not cut out to be a conservative leader and my concerns that she only got the job so that she could provide exactly this kind of DEI defense against Labour criticisms seem to be merited.   

She has on a number of occasions demonstrated an inability to accept criticism or simply let it go.

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader, she’ll remain in place until the Tories sort themselves out with a real leader with real policies.

 

 

 

46 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

She has on a number of occasions demonstrated an inability to accept criticism or simply let it go.

 

 

 

   Can you provide some examples of what you are referring to ?

Is this still a reference to just what someone wrote in the Guardian  a few years ago ?

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader, she’ll remain in place until the Tories sort themselves out with a real leader with real policies.

 

 

    Why don't you think that shes a real leader ?

Is it because she's Black and a Woman ?

Should she take the Kamala Harris role and just be in the Background whilst a real leader is doing the real job ?

8 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Can you provide some examples of what you are referring to ?

Is this still a reference to just what someone wrote in the Guardian  a few years ago ?

Her spat with the speaker of the house is an example.

8 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    Why don't you think that shes a real leader ?

Is it because she's Black and a Woman ?

Should she take the Kamala Harris role and just be in the Background whilst a real leader is doing the real job ?

 

Read up on ‘Glass Cliff’.

 

Kamala Harris? What are banging on about.

 

 

15 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Sounds to me like she’s playing the race card. 
 

But I’ll wait for the subject matter experts who are more attuned to spotting it to chip in before I make my mind up.

She is playing the Hypocrite card, quite apropos when dealing with the Left

Just now, Yagoda said:

She is playing the Hypocrite card, quite apropos when dealing with the Left

It’s always somebody else’s fault!

17 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s always somebody else’s fault!

Typically, that makes no sense in the context of what I posted, but no mind, dont respond as its early morning and I dont want to dumb down the brain cells left from last night.

25 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Her spat with the speaker of the house is an example.

 

   In that video where she apologised ?

The video where she accepted criticism for her behaviour and admitted that she was wrong and apologised ?

10 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

She has on a number of occasions demonstrated an inability to accept criticism or simply let it go.

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader, she’ll remain in place until the Tories sort themselves out with a real leader with real policies.

 

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader,

 

Really? Then you seem to be confirming her comments.

 

Black Women and the Glass Cliff
Black women in particular face misogynoir (discrimination caused by the intersection of racism and sexism). 

https://www.catalyst.org/2024/01/31/glass-cliff-women-of-color/

 

 

 

Starmer looks like he is no stranger to McDonalds, certainly since becoming PM.

 

Badenoch is correct that Labour would indeed have been all over this with the race card. She is correct to simply point this out, rather than lowering herself to their level by playing it herself. 

 

Well played Kemi. 

It's funny she should mention "If I was a left-wing activist..." as people really don't like this sh*t coming from politicians, while we expect if from loony-left types.  It's not a good way to earn respect.

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   In that video where she apologised ?

The video where she accepted criticism for her behaviour and admitted that she was wrong and apologised ?

Of she apologized, after bring reamed out by the speaker.

She apologized when it dawned on her what a hole she’d dug herself into.

 

I’ll remind you the next time she does something similar. It’s her MO.
 

 

34 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Starmer looks like he is no stranger to McDonalds, certainly since becoming PM.

 

Badenoch is correct that Labour would indeed have been all over this with the race card. She is correct to simply point this out, rather than lowering herself to their level by playing it herself. 

 

Well played Kemi. 

More ‘would have been’ AKA imaginary account of events that didn’t transpire, not even real enough to be whataboutary.

46 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader,

 

Really? Then you seem to be confirming her comments.

 

Black Women and the Glass Cliff
Black women in particular face misogynoir (discrimination caused by the intersection of racism and sexism). 

https://www.catalyst.org/2024/01/31/glass-cliff-women-of-color/

 

 

 

No I’m not.

 

But nice try Brian.

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No I’m not.

 

But nice try Brian.

Actually you did but did so unwittingly.  

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

Actually you did but did so unwittingly.  

At least you looked up ‘Glass Cliff’ then selectively quoted from what you found.

Oh, and look what bit you selected to quote.

 

Brian, try harder.

 

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

At least you looked up ‘Glass Cliff’ then selectively quoted from what you found.

Oh, and look what bit you selected to quote.

 

Brian, try harder.

 

Hardly selective and you say I have to try harder when your the one stuck in your own hole........

54 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Black Women and the Glass Cliff
Black women in particular face misogynoir (discrimination caused by the intersection of racism and sexism). 

https://www.catalyst.org/2024/01/31/glass-cliff-women-of-color/

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Hardly selective and you say I have to try harder when your the one stuck in your own hole........

It seems you think you’ve found the subject of being offended over you were looking for.

 

Selective quoting helps in that endeavor.

 

 

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It seems you think you’ve found the subject of being offended over you were looking for.

 

Selective quoting helps in that endeavor.

Its a whole article, not selective quotes, the hole of yours just got deeper. Try admitting how you put yourself there

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Its a whole article, not selective quotes, the hole of yours just got deeper. Try admitting how you put yourself here

Oh so you didn’t just selectively quote:

 

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

 

Black Women and the Glass Cliff
Black women in particular face misogynoir (discrimination caused by the intersection of racism and sexism). 

https://www.catalyst.org/2024/01/31/glass-cliff-women-of-color/

Except you did.

 

Now all you need to do is find me making any reference fe to Badenoch’s race in my comment.

 

Get creative Brian.

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Oh so you didn’t just selectively quote:

 

Except you did.

 

Now all you need to do is find me making any reference fe to Badenoch’s race in my comment.

 

Get creative Brian.

Get creative Brian.

 

I'm not the one in the hole Chomper........

 

11 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I actually think she’s a ‘glass cliff’ candidate for the job of Tory leader, 

 

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Black Women and the Glass Cliff
Black women in particular face misogynoir (discrimination caused by the intersection of racism and sexism). 

https://www.catalyst.org/2024/01/31/glass-cliff-women-of-color/