'No fudging that' - Ex-West Midlands Mayor Andy Street declares his support for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to become Prime Minister in BBC appearance
Former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street claims he's still devoted to the Conservative party and is backing Kemi Badenoch for Prime Minister in a BBC appearance where he acknowledged many people feel there is no political party to represent them.
The 62-year-old, who served as Mayor of the West Midlands between 2017 and 2024 before being succeeded by Labour candidate Richard Parker, appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this morning (January 25) alongside the former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Ruth Davidson.
The politicians were discussing plans to reach out to people who feel disconnected from both sides of the political fence to find out what people 'in the centre' want from their politicians.
Explaining the plans, Andy Street said: "Tomorrow we will be launching a new political movement. That word is important: it’s not a party, it’s a movement — very much of the centre-right.
"There are millions of people in the centre and centre-right of politics who don’t feel that any party is representing them at the moment.
"We want to step forward with a national, grassroots movement — getting out there, talking to voters and particularly to businesses, to bring forward ideas.
"The tip of the spear is very much around the bread and butter issues about making people feel better off in this country."
To which, journalist and presenter Laura Kuenssberg questioned whether they believe Kemi Badenoch should become the next Prime Minister.
He replied: "Thank you for asking that question because we want to be really clear about this. We are committed Conservatives and between us [Andy Street and Ruth Davidson] we have been members of the Conservative party for 60 years - that is not changing.
"We believe that Badenock should be the next Prime Minister of this country. No fudging that."
What do you think about Andy Street's comments on the BBC One show this morning? Let us know in the comments below.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.