Some civil servants so bad they should be in prison, says Kemi Badenoch

Tory leadership contender claims at party conference that a minority leak official secrets and undermine ministers

Kemi Badenoch has said at the Conservative party conference that she believes up to 10% of civil servants are so bad they should be in prison, claiming they leak official secrets and “agitate” against ministers.

At a fringe event at the conference in Birmingham, the Tory leadership contender said she did not want to criticise all civil servants but said there were a few who were obstructive. “There’s about 5-10% of them who are very, very bad. You know, should-be-in-prison bad,” Badenoch said.