Kemi Badenoch faced criticism for allegedly portraying Conservative Party members as ordinary citizens in a calculated social media move. The embattled Tory leader shared a video featuring herself and James Cleverly visiting a woman’s home to discuss stamp duty concerns. Although not explicitly stated in the video, the woman they met was Seena Shah, a former Conservative candidate in the 2019 general election.
During the interaction, Ms. Shah expressed to Ms. Badenoch and Mr. Cleverly that some of her acquaintances refrained from expanding their families due to stamp duty costs. Also present was Louise McKinlay, the Conservative deputy leader of Essex County Council, whose identity was not disclosed in the video.
A source from the Labour party criticized the incident, accusing Kemi Badenoch of orchestrating a staged video where a local Conservative association chair posed as a regular citizen to endorse the party’s policies. The source insinuated that such tactics reflected the Conservatives’ desperation.
Sharing the video on her Instagram account, Ms. Shah, a current Conservative Party member, highlighted the impact of stamp duty on families’ decisions regarding home ownership. Meanwhile, Ms. McKinlay nodded in agreement as another individual at the gathering expressed concerns about potential housing policies under a Labour government.
In a statement on her Instagram, Ms. Shah, who previously ran as a Tory candidate, discussed the economic challenges faced by hardworking individuals and the potential benefits of eliminating stamp duty to restore opportunities and choices.
Kemi Badenoch, in her address at the Tory Party conference in Manchester, reiterated her commitment to abolishing stamp duty if the Conservatives regain power. She emphasized the potential positive impact such a move could have on many people’s lives.
While Mrs. Badenoch tagged Ms. McKinlay when sharing the video on social media, she did not tag Ms. Shah. The Mirror reached out to Tory HQ and Ms. McKinlay for their comments on the matter.