New Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been gifted a big opportunity with Labour’s dire start

A new era

THERE are plenty of reasons to celebrate Kemi Badenoch becoming Tory leader.

Fierce intelligence. Courage. Firm principles rarely seen since Maggie Thatcher. A preference for levelling with voters over spin.

Not to mention her own calm bemusement at the reaction to her becoming the first black leader of a major UK party.

“It shows my country and party are places where it doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like . . . it’s about what the offer is,” she says.

“The best thing will be when the colour of your skin is no more remarkable than the colour of your eyes.” Well said.

Meanwhile Labour (exclusively led by middle-aged white men) has gifted her a big opportunity with its dire start.

And it is still plagued by extremist MPs such as Dawn Butler, who shared a Twitter troll’s rant that Kemi represents “white supremacy in blackface” and, incredibly, is a “victory for racism”.

Why does Keir Starmer still tolerate these hate-spewing halfwits?

A new error

IMAGINE if your car was twice as costly to run as the dealer advertised and, when challenged, they just said: We were wrong.

Before the election Rachel Reeves said Labour’s plans were fully funded and costed.

She said there could be no nasty surprises left by the Tories, since Government books are now open to all. She said no big tax rises would be needed.

Now, to justify exactly such increases, she claims £22billion of liabilities WERE hidden. Except that’s not what the OBR, on whose analysis she relies, says.

And a huge chunk of that “black hole” is to fund Labour’s own ideological choices, not inevitabilities.

Ms Reeves deserves credit for sparing working people a fuel duty rise.

But manifestos should be a genuine prospectus for Government. Voters are unlikely to forget Labour winning power then glibly confessing they were “wrong”.

We are now promised there will be no need for more tax rises. We trust the Chancellor will not want to get it wrong a second time.

Dislodge him

WHY is disgraced Prince Andrew being allowed to remain in the Royal Lodge as it crumbles into disrepair?

His long lease has strict conditions about regular renovations, rebuilding and painting inside and out.

From our pictures it is impossible to imagine he is not in breach of it. And it is hard to fathom how he could afford the upkeep, in enforced retirement, if the King has cut off his allowance.

Only the man’s monstrous vanity prevents him from taking up the offer of Harry and Meghan’s refurbished and secure former gaff Frogmore Cottage.

For the sake of the historic Lodge, it’s time the Crown Estate evicted him.