Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch was an unexpected name to be one of the first Conservative MPs out of the blocks to declare she wanted to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.
In a crowded field of candidates, the ex-McDonald’s employee saw her profile boosted when Michael Gove - a man who has held a host of Cabinet positions, including education secretary - backed her for leader.
Mr Gove is not known for his loyalty - he famously knifed Mr Johnson in the 2016 Tory leadership contest, causing him to pull out of the race and allow Theresa May to be selected - but he said he likes Kemi’s “focus, intellect and no-bull***t drive”.
Ms Badenoch, who was born to Nigerian parents in London, might not be a household name but she has done enough to ruffle a few feathers in her short time since being appointed to the front bench by the PM in 2020.
Why is Kemi Badenoch controversial?
From piling on to a journalist via social media to her leaked views on trans rights, Kemi Badenoch has attracted plenty of attention as a result of her views.
In January 2021, the 42-year-old branded a journalist “creepy and bizarre” for asking why Ms Badenoch had not appeared in a video promoting a Covid vaccination despite a slower take-up rate among ethnic minorities.
Sharing screenshots of the request for comment, the then-exchequer secretary and equalities minister went on Twitter to complain that the HuffPost news website had sought to “sow distrust by making up claims I refused to take part in a video campaign”.
Following the posts, then HuffPost editor-in-chief Jess Brammar said journalist Nadine White - who has since gone on to become the UK’s first race correspondent at The Independent - had been forced to make her profile private due to Ms Badenoch “accusing her of spreading disinformation”.
Ms Brammar defended the reporter, saying that “Nadine was doing her job” by asking questions and approaching people in public office for comment.
Leaked trans views
The married mother-of-three’s views on trans rights from before she became equalities minister were leaked to Vice in September 2021.
She is said to have labelled trans women “men” and used the term “transsexual” - a label considered to be outdated among the LGBT community.
During the comments reportedly made in her Commons office in 2018, Ms Badenoch is alleged to have said: “Now it’s not just about being free to marry who you want, you now want to have men using women’s bathrooms.”
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner labelled the remarks “disgusting” and LGBT charity Stonewall also said the comments were “hurtful and harmful”.
In response, a government spokesman said at the time: "The Minister for Equalities is working hard to deliver for LGBT people, whether that is modernising the process of applying for a gender recognition certificate, driving forward LGBT rights in the workplace or banning conversion therapy.
"This 2018 comment has been taken out of context, with the Minister making a clear point about striking the balance for equality and fairness when there are multiple and often competing demands between different groups. It should not be used to misrepresent her views."
Racial disparity report
Ms Badenoch - who sensationally quit the front bench via a five-person resignation letter last week - faced a storm of criticism after defending a report into race relations that concluded there was no evidence of “institutional racism” in Britain.
Prominent Black Labour MP Dawn Butler said report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities amounted to “gaslighting on a national scale”.
Dr Tony Sewell’s government-commissioned report in April 2021 said it had found no evidence of “institutional racism”, and said Britain was no longer a country where the “system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities”.
Defending the conclusion, Ms Badenoch said it was wrong to accuse people who argue for a different approach on how to address racial inequality as being “racism deniers” or “race traitors”.
The Saffron Walden MP said she rejected “bad faith attempts to undermine the credibility of this report”.
Cost of living help
On July 12, just days after declaring her intention to run as Tory leader, Ms Badenoch claimed Brits shouldn't receive any more cost of living payments and that rich pensioners should lose their winter fuel allowance.
"For too long politicians have been saying… you can have your cake and eat it. I'm here to tell you that's not the case,” she said.
"I will not enter into a tax bidding war and say my tax cuts are bigger than yours. The dividing line in this race is not tax cuts, it's judgment."
Branding Rishi Sunak's various handouts to ease the cost of living as "inefficient", she pledged to help tackle rising inflation and cut "dead weight" in the running of government.
