12 reactions to Kemi Badenoch saying Partygate was 'overblown'

Newly elected Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has been criticised for saying that all the fallout from Partygate was "overblown".

During an interview on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch also praised Boris Johnson as a "great prime minister" who ultimately resigned as PM in 2022 following a series of scandals including Partygate.

“I thought Boris Johnson was a great prime minister, but there were some serious issues that were not being resolved and I think that during that tenure the public thought that we were not speaking for them or looking out for them, we were in it for ourselves," Badenoch said.

"Some of those things I think were perception issues, a lot of the stuff that happened around Partygate was not why I resigned."

The Tory leader also said the public should not have been fined by the government during lockdown for doing "everyday activities".

She added: "I thought that it [Partygate] was overblown. We should not have created fixed penalty notices, for example. That was us not going with our principles."

Labour has since responded and they've said Badenoch's comments “add insult to injury for families across Britain who followed the rules, missing loved one’s deaths and family funerals, whilst her colleagues partied in Downing Street."

People on social media were also unimpressed with Badenoch's comments on Partygate, with reactions ranging from anger, and parody posts as well as heartfelt personal stories from people who tragically lost loved ones due to the Covid pandemic.

Presenter Carol Vorderman didn't hold back, calling Badenoch "the most arrogant Tory today".

Badenoch defeated Robert Jenrick in the Conservative Party leadership contest on November 2, winning 53,806 votes to Jenrick's 41,388.

"Our party is critical to the success of our country," Badenoch said during her victory speech where she criticised mistakes her predecessors had made.

"But to be heard, we have to be honest, honest about the fact that we made mistakes, honest about the fact that we let standards slip.

"The time has come to tell the truth, to stand up for our principles, to plan for our future, to reset our politics and our thinking, and to give our party and our country the new start that they deserve.

She concluded: "It is time to get down to business. It is time to renew."

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