Nigerian born British politician and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Olukemi Adegoke Badenoch is currently under fire for her ‘buttock wipers’ utterance.
The British politician who has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government since 2024 and was Secretary of State for Business and Trade from 2023 to 2024 takes a swipe at migrant care workers stating: “We need to make sure we are thinking about the next generation, not just who’s going to wipe bottoms for us today”
She came under fire for making dismissive comments about care workers, referring to them as “buttocks wipers,” which has offended those in the care sector as well as raising questions about her broader political identity, values, and the specific issues she appears to be struggling with.
The role of care workers is not just essential but invaluable to the health and well-being of society, especially as the country faces an aging population.
Her criticism is described as diminishing and ridiculing health workers role, not recognizing their significant role in an otherwise challenged sector.
This has sparked outrage and debate on social media and among advocacy groups with critiques arguing that she is disrespectful to the healthcare systems worldwide
Born in Wimbledon, London, Badenoch spent part of her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, and the United States before returning to the UK at 16.
@PeaCannon: “A care worker has more empathy, and respect from me, than Badenoch’s nail on her little finger does. This is a truly repulsive human. Her poor kids.”
@Jordanriv: “A disgrace. Care workers are so important, doing a job that is so vital – looking after our loved ones when they can’t after themselves. Is she saying this work doesn’t matter?! Kemi, please stop going round making your ridiculous statements.”
@andyhersh: “Part of me thinks ‘come on Tories, vote in this abhorrent woman’ but realistically I’d like a bit of class in all sides of politics. More respect for the ‘bottom wipers’ as you call them than your good self @KemiBadenoch”
@richardVB70: “What is up with her? She’s even nastier than Braverman, and I didn’t think that was possible. Hateful woman.”
@irishelt: “Maybe, just maybe, the bottom of the intellectual barrel has actually been reached”