EX-BRITISH colonies should be “grateful” for the Empire, Robert Jenrick said today.
The Tory leadership finalist declared that states formerly controlled by the UK should stop demanding slavery reparations.
Conservative Party leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said that ex-British colonies should be grateful for the legacy of Empire[/caption]
Meanwhile, his rival and race frontrunner Kemi Badenoch hit back at accusations she is rude – but admitted she’s “not perfect” either[/caption]
He insisted that world leaders instead owe a “debt of gratitude” to the UK for the legacies of Empire.
Mr Jenrick pointed to legal institutions and democracy as examples of colonial “achievements”.
Writing in the Mail, he said said: “The territories colonised by our empire were not advanced democracies.
“Many had been cruel, slave-trading powers. Some had never been independent.
“The British empire broke the long chain of violent tyranny as we came to introduce – gradually and imperfectly – Christian values.”
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The former Immigration Minister added: “I’m not ashamed of our history.
“It may not feel like it, but many of our former colonies – amid the complex realities of empire – owe us a debt of gratitude for the inheritance we left them.”
The ramped up rhetoric comes as card carrying Conservatives have just four days left to vote in the race to replace Rishi Sunak.
On Saturday either Mr Jenrick or current frontrunner Kemi Badenoch will be crowned the new leader of the opposition.
Today Ms Badenoch hit back at accusations from critics that she can come across as rude and abrasive.
The Shadow Housing Secretary told the BBC she never acts out of malice – but rather has a higher bar for tolerating criticism than most.
Ms Badenoch said: “I just think I’m saying something that I wouldn’t mind hearing back.
“I’m not perfect, you know, I’ve never said that I was perfect”.
“We keep wanting people who will give the perfect interview and have the perfect policies look perfect.
“There’s nobody like that. Everybody’s coming with pluses and minuses.”
Tory leadership race gets heated
By Harry Cole, Political Editor
TORY bosses have told Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick to “cool it” after the leadership contenders traded barbs in the final days of the race.
Insiders claim party chairman Richard Fuller suggested Badenoch say sorry to her opponent after she suggested there was a “whiff of impropriety” around his 2022 sacking.
Both camps and Tory HQ declined to comment on the claims – but no apology had been delivered last night.
The pair were engaged in a flurry of last minute media interviews yesterday after The Sun revealed turnout in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak was still at below 50 per cent late last week.
The ballot of around 120-150,00 Conservative members closes on Thursday.
