Row over Raheem Kassam calling Kemi Badenoch a 'Nigerian scammer'

Centre · 1Raheem Kassam, a former adviser to Nigel Farage, posted a series of tweets attacking Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch as a "scammer" and calling her a "Nigerian scammer". 1 Centre · 1One post said Badenoch "has used her Nigerian background as a means by which to advance her career when it suits her". Another asked: "How are people still falling for this Nigerian scammer?" 1 Left · 1Kassam had been touted as Reform's next chief of staff. 2

Mixed · 2In a BBC Breakfast interview, Farage said: "I don't think saying somebody grew up in Nigeria is racist." Asked about the comment, he said it was "over the top" but that he did not think it was "intentionally racist". 1 2 Left · 1The Guardian's John Crace, in an opinion column, writes that Farage also pointed out that Kassam is "of Indian heritage" and tried to separate the two words in the phrase. Crace calls this "Schrödinger's racism". 2 Left · 1Crace reports that Kassam emailed a Guardian journalist saying Farage had told him off for a tweet that was neither "clever nor funny". He said the tweet could have been better phrased and timed, and that he had spent too much time in the US. 2

Left · 1Crace also writes that Kassam posted again about "Kemi Scammenoch" on X on Tuesday morning. That post, and his pinned "Nigerian scammer" tweet, have since been deleted. 2 Centre · 1Robert Jenrick, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform, twice declined to condemn the remarks. He told ITV he did not think they were racist, adding "were they unpleasant or were they rude? Maybe". He said it was not his place to police tweets from Reform supporters, and that Badenoch is "of Nigerian heritage" and has "told some pretty appalling lies". 1 Centre · 1Jenrick cited as an example Badenoch's claim to have been offered a Stanford scholarship. Badenoch says she received an offer aged 16 but no longer has the documents, after the Guardian cast doubt on the claim. 1

Left · 1Crace writes that Jenrick described Kassam as a journalist and that Reform MP Danny Kruger could not conceive that Farage's friends were racist. 2 Centre · 1Badenoch told ITV's Good Morning Britain that the attacks show "the sort of people they are". She said Reform may think "using my race is a way for them to improve their standing", and that because Britain is not a racist country, "their racist attacks... is not going to work". Of Jenrick she said he is "Nigel Farage's problem" now. 1 Centre · 1A Labour spokesperson said Jenrick "can't even call out blatant racism against his former party leader" and that "calling out racism isn't a matter of party politics". 1

Centre · 1The row follows a separate dispute over Suella Braverman, who also moved from the Tories to Reform, suggesting only white people can be English. Badenoch had criticised Reform over that in her conference speech earlier this month. 1