Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has hit back at claims that her sharp response to Chancellor Rachel Reeves during Wednesday’s Budget debate was inappropriate.
The controversy arose after Badenoch used her speech to reference comments Reeves made last week about being “mansplained” to and encountering misogyny as the first female Chancellor.
“People Aren’t Complaining Because She’s Female”
Speaking passionately from the despatch box, Badenoch criticised what she called “puff pieces” portraying Reeves as a woman mired in self-pity.
“Let me explain to the Chancellor, woman to woman,” Badenoch said.
“People aren’t complaining because she’s female — they’re complaining because she is utterly incompetent.”
Later, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Reeves exchanging words on the Labour front bench, Badenoch quipped: “Is he mansplaining to you, by the way? Do you need help?”
No Regrets Over Strong Language
Asked if she regretted her pointed language, Badenoch told ITV Anglia: “Not in the least.
She gave the most political Budget ever, lots of attacks… she likes to dish it but she can’t take it.”
She described Reeves’ comments on mansplaining and misogyny as “extraordinary.”
Badenoch also accused Labour of a double standard.
“I don’t see why Labour MPs should be asking for a free pass for the Chancellor,” she said.
“They didn’t give Theresa May a free pass, they didn’t give Margaret Thatcher a free pass, they didn’t give Liz Truss a free pass.”
Standing Firm in Political Interviews
In a second interview on the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Badenoch reiterated that her remarks were justified.
“You can’t please everybody,” she said. “I’ve taken on a tough job and I’ve got to do it the way anybody else has to.
I don’t complain about it, I don’t say it’s misogyny or racism or anything like that.”
Her stance makes clear that she intends to continue pushing back on Labour while defending her approach to parliamentary debate, insisting that her criticism was based on competence, not gender.
A Debate Reflecting the Rough-and-Tumble Nature of Politics
Badenoch’s comments have sparked discussion about the tone of political debate in Westminster, highlighting how issues of gender and professional critique intersect in high-profile roles.
The exchange between the Tory leader and the Chancellor underscores how Budget debates often become arenas for personal as well as policy scrutiny
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