Kemi Badenoch has had enough. The Conservative Party leader used her conference speech on Wednesday to defend her mixed-race children’s British identity.
Badenoch represents North West Essex in Parliament. She told the Conservative Party Conference 2026 that she does not want her children growing up in a country where their Englishness is questioned.
Her target was Reform UK. She accused its members of questioning people’s identity based on race and background.
"I don't want to live in a country run by people who threaten journalists, who call veterans traitors, and debate whether my mixed-race children are English,” Badenoch said.
She spoke about her son. She said she does not want to explain to him while watching England play football that some people do not consider black players English.
“I don’t want to explain to my son when we’re watching our brilliant England team play football that some people don’t think our black players are English,” she said.
Wright, Barnes And A Changing Standard
Badenoch recalled former England internationals Ian Wright and John Barnes. She said their English identity was not questioned the way it is today.
“I remember back in the day when Ian Wright and John Barnes were playing, nobody was questioning whether they were English,” she said. “We certainly didn’t have sitting MPs questioning whether they were English.”
Ian Wright scored 9 goals in 33 appearances for England. John Barnes earned 79 caps and scored 11 goals. Both faced racism during their careers. However, Badenoch argued that their national identity itself was not publicly debated by elected officials.
She said the current climate risks reversing progress on inclusion.
“We must not let these people take us backwards. That is not the country we are,” she said.
Badenoch then turned directly to Reform UK MPs.
“Reform MPs are openly questioning people’s identity. They are not like us. We are not like them,” she said. “We are different, and we are the Conservative Party.”
Her speech comes as the Conservatives face pressure from Reform UK on the right. Immigration and national identity have become central issues in British politics.
Badenoch’s remarks signal she will fight for the centre ground on those questions.
I think the identity mapping is a ploy to garner more votes, or seem like the saviour of the UK.