Councillor Badenoch discussed plans for Milton Keynes’ high streets, the cost of living and her views on multi-culturalism with MK Citizen.

Leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch came to Milton Keynes for a regional campaign launch on Tuesday, March 31, ahead of the local elections on May 7.

We met in a room in the Holiday Inn, joined by her team of assistants. Mrs. Badenoch sat in front of me, pristine in a navy blue suit.

When asked how she plans on appealing to the Milton Keynes community, she said focus was on high streets and household energy bills.

Tory Leader, Kemi Badenoch talked to MK Citizen about plans for Milton Keynes’ high streets, the cost of living and thoughts on multi-culturalism.

placeholder image — Tory Leader, Kemi Badenoch talked to MK Citizen about plans for Milton Keynes’ high streets, the cost of living and thoughts on multi-culturalism.

She said: “With stronger high streets, with our cheap power plan to bring down bills. We know that a lot of people are very worried about the cost of living. Every door I knock on, people say life is getting harder and harder.

“I think that governments should be able to help with the cost of living, but not by taxing people in one group, and giving money to another.”

Milton Keynes is well known as a diverse and multicultural city. I asked if that could work against the Tory campaign.

“No, I don’t think so, Britain is a diverse country,” she said.

"But I’ve always said we should be a multi-racial country, not a multicultural country.

“Culture is about norms, behaviours and identity. The identity I want all of us to have is a shared British identity.”

When asked if she would try to stop places like Milton Keynes from embracing different cultures, she said: "Well it depends on what we mean by different cultures. If it’s having new restaurants and different people living here, no, of course not.”

She was eager to discuss plans around the Conservatives pushing to cut VAT from energy bills over the next three years, as consumers feel the effects of the US-Israel war on Iran.

She added that their cheap energy plan should take about £200 off a typical household bill, and that they would pay for it by removing ‘unnecessary subsidies’ and ‘renewable obligations certificates’.

When asked if she is worried that this will take money away from renewable energy projects, and harm the environment, she said, “No, in fact we see some wind farm subsidies where people are paying about three times the price of electricity. We need to make sure that when we are paying for things, it’s value for money.”