Kemi Badenoch Reacts After Raheem Kassam Calls Her ‘Nigerian Scammer’

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised attacks targeting her Nigerian heritage after Raheem Kassam, a former adviser to Nigel Farage, described her as a “Nigerian scammer” in social media posts.

Badenoch said the remarks reflected the kind of politics pursued by some figures associated with Reform UK, arguing that the party was focusing more on personal attacks than on issues affecting ordinary Britons.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the Conservative leader said she believed Reform politicians might be using her race in an attempt to improve their political standing.

She maintained that the attacks would not succeed, adding that Britain was not a racist country.

Badenoch Criticises Reform UK Figures

During the interview, Badenoch said she wanted voters who had previously supported the Conservative Party to return, but argued that personal attacks against her were distracting from important policy discussions.

She questioned why figures associated with Reform UK were devoting so much attention to criticising her rather than explaining how they intended to improve people’s lives.

Badenoch also responded to questions about Robert Jenrick, who left the Conservative Party for Reform UK and declined to condemn Kassam’s remarks.

She said Jenrick was no longer her responsibility, adding that he was now a matter for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

What Did Raheem Kassam Say?

Kassam, a former adviser to Farage, made several posts targeting Badenoch and referring to her Nigerian background.

In one post, he accused her of being a scammer and alleged that she had used her Nigerian heritage to advance her career when it suited her. He also published remarks warning people against sharing their financial information with her.

The comments prompted questions about whether the language amounted to racism and whether Reform UK figures should publicly distance themselves from the remarks.

Jenrick and Farage Respond to the Controversy

Jenrick declined to describe Kassam’s comments as racist when questioned by ITV. He acknowledged that the remarks could be considered unpleasant or rude but argued that he was not responsible for policing every social media post made by people who might support Reform UK.

He also referred to a separate controversy involving Badenoch’s account of receiving an offer from Stanford University when she was 16. Badenoch has maintained that she received the offer but said she no longer has the relevant documents, following questions raised by The Guardian.

Farage also addressed the dispute during an interview with BBC Breakfast. He described Kassam’s comments as excessive but said he did not believe they were intentionally racist.

Race and Identity Return to UK Political Debate

The controversy comes amid wider political disagreements in Britain over race, national identity and immigration.

Badenoch previously criticised Reform UK during a speech at a Conservative Party conference, accusing the party of wanting to question whether her mixed-race children were English.

The dispute has also drawn criticism from Labour, whose spokesperson questioned Jenrick’s refusal to condemn the remarks against Badenoch, arguing that challenging racism should not be treated as a matter of party politics.

The latest exchange highlights continuing tensions between the Conservatives and Reform UK as political figures debate race, identity and the tone of public discourse in Britain.

PenTalk News will continue to follow developments in UK politics.