Kemi Badenoch looks to have walked away victorious from last night’s special political programme, Decision Time: The Race to Lead.
After GB News’ Political Editor – and yesterday’s host – Christopher Hope brought proceedings to a close with a snap poll, an overwhelming majority of audience members raised their hand for the shadow housing secretary.
A Badenoch campaign source hailed their response, saying: “The verdict of the GB News audience was clear: Kemi was the overwhelming winner tonight.”
However, members of the public have asked: Who is the Tory leadership frontrunner’s husband, Hamish?
Kemi and Hamish Badenoch, pictured at the 2024 Conservative Party conference
GETTY
Hamish Badenoch, though he now works as a managing director at Deutsche Bank, has enjoyed his own forays into politics in the past.
He previously served as a Conservative councillor on Merton London Borough Council in the capital’s southwest from 2014 to 2018, managing to balance his political and professional commitments as he worked at Deutsche at the same time.
Born to an Irish immigrant mother, Hamish Badenoch was educated at the prestigious public school Ampleforth College – where he was head boy – before reading history at the University of Cambridge, from which he graduated in 2001.
LATEST ON THE TORY LEADERSHIP RACE:
The married pair, seen here at Buckingham Palace for a State Banquet with the Japanese Imperial Family
PA
Since then, he’s enjoyed forays into journalism in Malawi, consulting in Nigeria, and executive management in Kenya, Sweden, the UK and more, before moving to his current employer, where he’s stayed for nearly 15 years.
Kemi and Hamish first met in 2009 at the Dulwich and West Norwood Conservative Club during a campaign. Their relationship grew as they worked together, with Hamish supporting Kemi’s political endeavours.
Speaking to The Times, Kemi said: “It wasn’t love at first sight” – but the couple grew closer over time, with the future Badenochs bonding as Hamish turned up to fundraise and canvass for Kemi.
“When I had tough times, he was always there, so we became friends,” she said.
The Badenochs – with their second child in tow – can be seen celebrating Kemi’s 2017 election victory in Saffron Walden
The couple married in 2012, when the future Tory leadership hopeful was still a wealth manager at luxury bank Coutts.
Kemi noted: “We actually share a lot: we both grew up in big, close families. So our values are the same.”
The Badenochs are parents to three children – two daughters and a son. Their first child was born in 2013, followed by their second in 2017 and third in 2019.
Although her children have remained out of the limelight, they were recently dragged into the Tory leadership race after veteran Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope sparked a furious row by claiming Kemi Badenoch is “too preoccupied” with being a mother to replace Rishi Sunak at the Conservative helm and backed her rival, Robert Jenrick.
However, Jenrick has distanced himself from Chope’s comments, adding that he is also a father.
The Badenochs pose for a selfie with Theresa May – whose former job Kemi is looking to poach
In 2015, Hamish unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative candidate for Foyle in Northern Ireland but has since taken a step back from politics to support Kemi’s career.
She acknowledged his support in a 2019 Instagram post, thanking her “wonderful husband and beautiful children” for their support as she surged to General Election victory in Saffron Waldon.
Writing on the social media platform, she said her family “don’t see as much of me as they should do (even during maternity leave) because of the job I chose. I am a very lucky woman indeed!”
On the campaign trail, Hamish tends to step back somewhat, occasionally supporting his wife professionally at conferences and state occasions.
But when he is spotted, Hamish cuts a fine figure – pairing softly-tailored suits with a sleekly-combed quiff and punchy thick-rimmed glasses.
Balancing family life with politics can present challenges – Kemi revealed her older daughter “hates” her job due to time away from family – but she’s noted the Badenochs still enjoy weekends together at her constituency house.
The North West Essex MP will be relying on their support as voting and campaigning continues in the Tory leadership race.
And GB News viewers can re-watch – or watch for the first time – last night’s landmark political programme, in which Badenoch butted heads against Robert Jenrick, at the link below.
WATCH THE FULL SPECIAL, DECISION TIME: THE RACE TO LEAD, HERE
