Leadership Hopes On The Line As Badenoch Faces CV Scandal

Kemi Badenoch’s leadership ambitions are under siege after fresh revelations cast serious doubt on one of her most oft-repeated claims: that she was offered a place at Stanford University to study “pre-med” at the age of 16.

For years, the Business Secretary has painted herself as a child prodigy thwarted by circumstance, claiming she turned down the prestigious offer due to her family’s financial struggles. But new evidence suggests the story doesn’t add up.

Jon Reider, who served as Stanford’s admissions officer for international students at the time, flatly denied that Badenoch was ever admitted — or even offered financial aid.

“Although 30 years have passed, I would definitely remember if we had admitted a Nigerian student with any financial aid. The answer is that we did not do so,” Reider said. He further clarified that Stanford does not offer a “pre-med” degree, with medicine only available at the postgraduate level.

The timing is perilous for Badenoch, who has been seen as a frontrunner to replace Rishi Sunak if — or when — his faltering premiership collapses. Tory insiders are already whispering that her credibility could be fatally damaged.

“This is the kind of embarrassing CV story that writes itself,” one Conservative MP told revealed. “It might be small, but in politics, perception is everything. If she’s caught out, she’s finished.”

Rivals within the party are said to be circling, eager for any pretext to halt Badenoch’s rise. A senior strategist remarked: “You rarely go broke betting on the Tory party to prefer a slow, damaging bleed over a quick execution. This could be her long, painful undoing.”

Badenoch’s camp has yet to release evidence of the alleged Stanford offer, but the pressure is mounting. With enemies inside the party and sceptics outside watching closely, the next move will be critical.

For now, the once-celebrated anecdote of a Nigerian teenager who “got into Stanford” looks less like an inspiring tale — and more like a political liability that could sink her career.