'Not all cultures are equally valid': Kemi Badenoch sparks row over immigration comments
30 September 2024, 05:54 | Updated: 30 September 2024, 06:12
Kemi Badenoch has sparked a row following her comments made over whether cultures are equal in a conversation about immigration.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The Tory leadership hopeful went on to explain her view to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg following an opinion piece in the Sunday Telegraph.
"I actually think it extraordinary to think that's an unusual or controversial thing to say," she said, adding that many cultures support child marriage or that women don't have equal rights.
"Of course, not all cultures are equally valid" purporting that she belives in Western, British values.
Then she went on to say that we need to abide by these values to maintain the today's society.
Badenoch clarified that in terms of immigration, it's something we need to "get right".
"Numbers matter but culture matters even more", and criticised cultures where women are not allowed to work or where gay people are stoned.
"If we want to have a well-integrated society, we need to make sure that we have a shared culutre and a shared identity."
The comments came after Badenoch was criticised by fellow Conservative leadership candidates over comments which appeared to criticise the statutory benefit.
Ms Badenoch later said on X, formerly Twitter, that "contrary to what some have said", she does support maternity pay.
A spokesperson for Maternity Action said: "The UK's system of maternity pay and benefits is far from excessive. If anything it is no longer fit for the purpose of supporting expectant and new parents and a major contributor to the gender pay gap.
"The £184.03 weekly statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance are currently worth less than half (46%) the £400.40 that someone on the higher rate national minimum wage would be paid for working a 35-hour week, and less than a third of women's average full-time earnings.
"Many women tell us that the woefully inadequate levels of statutory maternity pay and benefits drive them to use food banks for the first time during their pregnancy and maternity leave.
"A majority told our recent survey that they end up taking on debt to get through maternity leave and end up returning early to work from maternity leave rather than bonding with their new babies. Some told us this was a discouragement to having more than one child.
"It is critical that the Government has a plan for investing in the system of maternity pay and leave over the term of this parliament or having a family will become a distant dream for some."
Read more: Met urged to phase out police dogs after wave of injuries during summer riots
First introduced in 1987, statutory maternity pay is available only to women who are employed and earning an average of at least £123 per week.
It provides 90% of a person's salary for six weeks, and then whichever is lower of 90% of their salary or £184.03 per week for the next 33 weeks, and the payment is liable for income tax and national insurance.
Contenders Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat are all gunning for the Tory leadership after Rishi Sunak stood down in the summer following the party's general election defeat.
