Badenoch defends calling chancellor 'spineless' in Budget row

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has defended describing Chancellor Rachel Reeves as "spineless, shameless and completely aimless" during the Budget debate.

In a fiery clash at the House of Commons, Badenoch mocked Reeves for "wallowing in self-pity" and accused her of "whining about mansplaining" and misogyny.

Badenoch's comments sparked both sharp criticism and praise from political colleagues.

Speaking on BBC Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, Badenoch denied crossing into personal abuse and said she "channelled" anger from farmers and business owners impacted by Labour policies.

Her comments came after Reeves unveiled plans to raise £26bn via tax rises in a Budget that also saw her scrap the two-child benefit cap.

The chancellor also extended a freeze on tax thresholds for an extra three years in a move that will drag millions into paying more tax.

Badenoch called the package "a Budget for Benefits Street, paid for by working people".

She accused Reeves of breaking promises not to raise taxes and said the chancellor should resign.

"God help us! She is spineless, shameless and completely aimless," Badenoch told MPs.

"Her speech today was an exercise in self-delusion. Today she had an opportunity to apologise and show some humility," she said.

"All we have had is wallowing in self-pity and whining about misogyny and mansplaining.

"So let me explain to the chancellor, woman to woman, that people out there are not complaining because she is female; they are complaining because she is utterly incompetent.

"Real equality means being held to the same standard as everyone else."

Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch criticised Reeves for "making a hoo-ha about being the first woman to present a Budget".

"Bringing in your identity cheapens achievement," Badenoch said.

If the Budget is "bad, that's not great for women," she added.

She told Nick Robinson she considered "pulling my punches" because Reeves looked "absolutely broken" after an embarrassing leak by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) exposed most of the Budget 40 minutes before she spoke.

"Then [Reeves] launched into the most extraordinary tirade against Conservatives in her own speech - so she started it," Badenoch said.

Her comments came under criticism from some, including ex-Lib Dem leader Tim Farron who said there was "absolutely no need" for the "barrage of personal abuse".

But Badenoch dismissed claims she had descended to "playground abuse" with her comments.

"You can't please everybody," she said.

"I've taken on a tough job and I've got to do it the way anybody else has to.

"I don't complain about it, I don't say it's misogyny or racism or anything like that," Badenoch said.

Badenoch also claimed she had to suffer "a barrage of abuse every single week at Prime Minister's Questions" where Sir Keir Starmer "can get very personal".

In a wide ranging interview, Badenoch also accused Reform UK of being "pro-Putin" and claiming party leader Nigel Farag's stance on Nato is "bad for national security".

"Farage blames Nato and blames the West for the war in Ukraine, and I think that's completely wrong," she said.

In February 2022, Farage claimed in a social media post that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was "a consequence of EU and Nato expansion".

Farage later told the BBC that "of course" the war was President Vladimir Putin's fault, but the West "provoked this war".

Badenoch also defended her Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake after he replied to a photo posted on social media by Farage of a black-and-gold Reform emblem with a picture of an infamous Nazi Golden Party Badge.

But Badenoch claimed "it was teasing, not calling them Nazis".

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