Kemi Badenoch’s Best Bits Video Has Embarrassing Glitch

The Tories were left looking rather embarrassed today after a “best bits” compilation video of Kemi Badenoch played nothing at all.

Shadow local government secretary James Cleverly tried to launch the Conservatives’ local elections campaign by lauding the party leader’s “vim and vigour” – but a technical glitch turned it into a moment they’d rather forget.

Shortly before introducing Badenoch on stage, Cleverly told the waiting audience: “Just in case anyone has forgotten just how good she is, let’s remind ourselves with a quick look at her best bits.”

A few people in the audience excitedly declared that this clip was obviously “going to be long” as the screen briefly flashed up with the Conservatives’ slogans.

But it quickly went black. It then showed the Tory pledge to implement a “stronger economy and a stronger country” once more – before Cleverly started to give up.

“I’m going to give it… one more second…for the video,” he said, then adding: “Do you know what ladies and gentlemen? Forget the video.”

He then welcomed Badenoch onto the stage, who laughed at all the enthusiastic applause.

“That was a fabulous introduction, can we give it up to James Cleverly?” she said, pushing past the embarrassing encounter.

In the 16 months since she was elected to be Tory leader and leader of the opposition, Badenoch has been widely criticised for her performance.

Trying to carry the mantel after the Conservatives’ worst ever general election defeat, Badenoch struggled to hold her own in prime ministers’ questions and made a handful of very public – and painful – gaffes.

She’s also seen a series of ex-Tory MPs defect to Reform, including two of her own frontbenchers, Danny Kruger and Robert Jenrick.