Kemi Badenoch would curb more devolution to Scotland, says Tory MP

In an article in The Times detailing his support for Badenoch as the next leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Bowie claimed the former business secretary has “great respect for devolution”.

However, he added that she would not settle for the idea “that further devolution is inevitable” or for “the SNP’s mantra that the only way forward is separation”.

He added: “She has great respect for devolution, but will not fail to step in when she sees decisions being taken she knows will harm Scots and our country — as she did, with Alister Jack, on gender recognition.”

READ MORE: Could Scotland experience far-right riots like in Southport?

The UK Government blocked the Gender Recognition Reform Act from becoming law in Scotland after it was passed by a cross-party majority of MSPs in December 2022.

Former secretary of state for Scotland Alister Jack took the unprecedented decision to use a Section 35 order to block the legislation, which the Scottish Government contested in the courts.

However, last year Scotland’s highest court ruled that its use was lawful despite Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain arguing that set to precedent of stopping Holyrood passing legislation which the UK Government did not agree with.

Badenoch is considered the bookies favourite to take over from Rishi Sunak as Tory leader following the party’s crushing defeat in the General Election.

Andrew Bowie has thrown his support behind Kemi Badenoch for the Tory leadership

But her campaign has been dogged by controversy and in-fighting, including a spat with fellow Tory MP Suella Braverman.

Badenoch has also faced allegations of bullying from former staff who served under her during her time as a minister, which she described as a “flagrant smear”.

Bowie’s article did not mention any of these controversies but instead described her as someone who would ensure MSPs were “listened to”.

He added: “She shows that she understands our United Kingdom — not through simple warm words about its history and importance, but through actions such as stopping the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Act, championing Scottish industry and driving investment.

“She works with our MSPs to ensure all of Scotland is listened to, not just the central belt cabal that has governed every aspect of our lives in the country for far too long.”

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf slams politicians 'normalising far-right language'

The leadership candidate’s response to riots caused by far-right groups in English cities, who capitalised on disinformation spread about the religious background of a man arrested in connection with the killing of three girls in Southport, was to pronounce that integration wasn’t working in the UK.

“You look at all the tension that we’ve been seeing in the country over the last few days in Southport and Hartlepool, everybody’s quiet,” she said.

“They don’t want to upset the cultural establishment that wants to pretend that nothing is going on.

“They should be saying that we need a clearer strategy on integration, which we don’t have.

“We just pretend that it’s a few bad apples, which is sometimes the case. But if you want to have a successful multiracial country, you need to make an effort to do that.

“You can’t just pretend that there are no tensions.”

Riots in England and Northern Ireland have seen anti-immigration protesters set fire to a foodbank, a library and inflict injuries on several police officers over the weekend.