Kemi Badenoch is facing criticism for allegedly attempting to portray Conservative party members as ordinary citizens in a social media video that has sparked controversy. The video features Badenoch and James Cleverly visiting a woman’s home to discuss stamp duty concerns. The woman, Seena Shah, a former Conservative candidate in the 2019 general election, is seen in the clip expressing how stamp duty has influenced people’s decisions about having more children.
During the conversation, Louise McKinlay, the Conservative deputy leader of Essex County Council, who was not explicitly identified in the video, is also present. A Labour source accused Badenoch of staging the video to make it seem like a local Conservative association chair was an average citizen endorsing party policies.
Shah later shared the video on her Instagram account, highlighting the impact of stamp duty on families’ housing decisions. The video captured McKinlay nodding in agreement as the discussion unfolded. Badenoch, in her address at the Tory Party conference in Manchester, pledged to abolish stamp duty, emphasizing its potential to positively impact individuals’ lives.
Despite the controversy, Badenoch tagged McKinlay when sharing the video on social media but omitted tagging Shah. The Mirror reached out to Tory HQ and McKinlay for comments on the matter.