Kemi Badenoch Slams Toxic Relationship With Big Government

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has argued that the United Kingdom is trapped in a toxic relationship with big government, claiming that state overreach is stagnating economic growth and hindering the progress of businesses and individuals.

In an opinion piece published in the Sunday Times on April 6, 2026, Badenoch asserted that the country is not broken, as suggested by Reform UK, but is instead saddled with failing big Government.

Badenoch criticized the prevailing political climate of endless negativity and doom and gloom, stating that the state has become a primary focus for solving all national problems, which she believes chokes the potential of the country.

Economic Impact and Taxation

The Conservative leader linked increased government spending directly to higher taxation, arguing that such a cycle is crushing the life out of our economy. She contended that the government often introduces periodic subsidies or freezes to maintain public dependency, which she claims erodes overall economic confidence rather than addressing underlying structural issues.

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Badenoch’s critique follows several government policy shifts, including the scrapping of winter fuel payments and the abandonment of plans for a mandatory digital ID, alongside various tax increases and spending initiatives.

Labor Market Challenges

Badenoch highlighted specific failures in the current job market as evidence of this toxic relationship in miniature, specifically regarding graduates and those not in employment, education, or training (NEETs).

According to the reporting, graduates are losing out on entry-level positions as employers increasingly utilize AI for these roles, while simultaneously facing the burden of student debt.

Similarly, NEETs are struggling to secure apprenticeships or employment in the retail and hospitality sectors. Badenoch attributed this to hikes in the minimum wage and national insurance, which have left businesses unable to afford new hires.

She argued that the public is now forced to ask the government for assistance in escaping problems that the state itself created through these fiscal policies.

Proposed Policy Shifts

Badenoch stated that the Conservative Party is not pursuing new government schemes but is instead focusing on reducing state intervention to encourage innovation, trade, and private organization.

To get Britain working again, she proposed specific measures including:

• The abolition of stamp duty.
• The resumption of oil drilling in the North Sea.

She argued that the government should limit its role to essential functions and then get out of the way, allowing individuals to rely on their own judgment and retain more of their earnings.

Critique of Political Opponents

Badenoch extended her criticism to both the Labour Party and Reform UK, accusing statists in both camps of believing that the next spending package or government program will solve the nation’s issues.

She further commented on the legacy of Brexit, suggesting that while Take Back Control was an effective slogan, the practical result was that too much control was transferred to politicians rather than to ordinary citizens.

Regarding devolution in Scotland and Wales, Badenoch claimed that power was retained by politicians in Holyrood and Cardiff Bay rather than being devolved to the people, resulting in increased state involvement in citizens’ lives.

Government needs to do what only government can do, and then get out of the way. Once people remember what it feels like to make decisions for themselves, to keep more of what they earn, to rely on their own judgment, they will wonder why they ever accepted so little.

Kemi Badenoch