Ms Kemi Badenoch, new UK Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade
Mixed reactions trail Kemi Badenoch’s new UK office, as Britons disagree on ‘wasted’ appointment
Britons, Wednesday, knocked new Prime Minister, Liz Truss over her appointment of Nigerian-born Member of the British Parliament (MP) into her cabinet as Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade.
According to Ms Truss critics, Badenock’s appointment to the International Trade sector was ‘wasted’, as they believe the MP was better suited in the Education and Culture where they claim she would excel in her political career in the Conservative Party.
It would be recalled that Member of British Parliament, Nigerian-born Kemi Badenoch was appointed United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade by the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss barely hours after her emergence as leader of the Conservative Party and Head of Parliament.
Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora have hailed her appointment since its announcement, Tuesday, describing it a huge step for the country.
Badenoch who contested the Conservative Party leadership poll alongside Truss but lost out in the third round of voting, was appointed, Tuesday, by the newly-inaugurated UK Prime Minister, Ms Liz Truss, barely hours after assuming office.
Previously she was Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities between September 16, 2021 and July 6, 2022.
She also held the position of Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from February 13, 2020 to September 15, 2021 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education from July 27, 2019 to February 13, 2020.
Ms Badenoch has been the Minister of State (Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities) 2021 to 2022; Minister of State 2021 to 2021; Minister of State (Minister for Equalities) 2021 to 2022; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) 2020 to 2021.
However, despite these positions, many Britons were disappointment with her appointment as Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, as they hoped she should have gotten education or culture portfolios instead.
Reacting, Wednesday, a Briton posting via the Twitter handle (@BritishAlba), wrote: “Would have really preferred to see Kemi get Education or Culture, she would have taken a strong lead on such matters. Wasted on international trade. But it is good to see she is in Cabinet atleast.”
British Alba later added: “I agree that it would be a big step up to go straight to Education or Culture, but those positions need robust action. Kemi’s criticism of critical race theory in schools, and her support for free speech against the Online Safety Bill would make her great for those roles.”
Others like (@ChadeFall5tar) replying to the previous comment wrote: “I agree but you can’t fight all your battles at the same time. This cabinet gives Truss room to fight immigration, the economy and deregulation while Kemi learns how to effectively control a department and its civil servants ready to tackle the woke plague in the future.”
However, other Britons like Lewis Palframan posting via the Twitter handle (@PalfraPig) disagreed on their positions, as he wrote: “I don’t think Kemi will be wasted in any Ministerial role.”
Corroborating, Egbert replying via the Twitter handle (@Egb3rtNosh) wrote: “Not true. It’s a critical job & it’ll get her out of the parochial world of a provincial MP with minor ministry experience. Excellent step for a politician with a future. Significant too, perhaps, that Truss has put her into her own former job, from which she rose to Foreign Sec.”
As Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, Ms Badenoch will be responsible for delivering the department’s priority outcomes, which include; securing world-class free trade agreements and reducing market access barriers, ensuring that consumers and businesses can benefit from both; encouraging economic growth and a green industrial revolution across all parts of the UK through attracting and retaining inward investment.
Others are; supporting UK business to take full advantage of trade opportunities, including those arising from delivering free trade agreements (FTAs), facilitating UK exports; and championing the rules-based international trading system and operating the UK’s new trading system, including protecting UK businesses from unfair trade practices.
