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UK politics

Badenoch says she is 'not scared' to back police officers she believes are unfairly hounded

Kemi Badenoch told the Police Federation she is 'not scared' to back officers who try to do the right thing, while also criticising police failures in the Henry Nowak case.

L 30% · C 10% · R 60% · 10 outlets

Left 0 · Centre-left 3 · Centre 1 · Centre-right 2 · Right 4

Sources by leanFollow the moneyMore coverage

How each side framed it

Left-leaning outlets

Police failures: Badenoch's own remarks on 'devastating police failures' like the Henry Nowak case, with police seen as a 'ghost service' (National, Standard, ITV).

Centre outlets

Centre-rated outlets headline it: “Police should not be scared to wade in to stop wrongdoing, says Badenoch” (BBC News).

Right-leaning outlets

Backing the police: 'I'm not scared to back police who are unfairly hounded' (Telegraph), Sgt Martyn Blake's case 'should have been open and shut' (Express).

Holding the paradox

Agreed facts

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told the Police Federation conference she was 'not scared to wade in' and back officers who try to do the right thing. She also criticised police failures in the Henry Nowak case and said Labour had not sent a minister to the conference for two years. Number 10 said the police have the government's 'full backing'.

Where claims conflict

Outlets lead with different parts of the same speech: backing officers (right) or criticising failures (centre and left). She also said she could not offer a 'massive pay rise' on day one.

The paradox

She promises to back the police while saying the public is losing faith in them. Support and criticism come in the same speech.

Sources by lean

Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.

Left 1

Centre 1

Right 1

Showing 1 from each side of 10 rated outlets (L 3 / C 1 / R 6). Capped at 1 because that is all we found on the thinnest side. More coverage

Follow the money

Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.

Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (10 outlets)
OutletLeanOwnership & funding (MBFC)
The Herald (Scotland)Centre-leftThe Glasgow Herald is published by Herald & Times Group, which is owned by Newsquest Media Group Ltd. Newsquest is the second-largest publisher in the United Kingdom, publishing 205 brands including 165 newspapers. Further, Newsquest is owned by US-based Gannett which publishes USA Today. source
The IndependentCentre-leftThe Independent is owned by Independent Print Limited, a company owned by the Lebedev family (Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev). In 2017, Saudi Businessman Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in the Independent online newspaper. Advertising and subscription generate revenue for the paper..push({}); source
The National (Scotland)Centre-leftThe National is operated by Newsquest Media Group Ltd., a UK-based local media publisher. Newsquest is a wholly owned subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc., the media company formerly known as Gannett Company, which also controls AZthe USA TODAY Network of national and local news outlets in the United States and regional titles in the United Kingdom. Revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales source
BBC NewsCentreThe BBC operates under a Royal Charter. Oversight is managed by the BBC Board, and regulatory authority rests with Ofcom. source
Evening StandardCentre-rightThe newspaper is majority-owned by Russian businessman and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev and the Daily Mail and General Trust. Revenue is generated through advertising. source
ITV NewsCentre-rightNo ownership data found
Daily ExpressRightThe Daily Express is owned by Reach plc (formerly known as Trinity Mirror), a British newspaper, magazine, and digital publisher. Subscriptions, newsstand sales, and advertising generate revenue. source
Daily MailRightThe Daily Mail is published by Associated Newspapers Limited, part of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). DMGT is controlled by the Rothermere family and is 100% owned by Rothermere Continuation Limited. Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, serves as Chairman..push({}); DMGT became privately owned after delisting from the London Stock Exchange in 2022. source
GB NewsRightGB News lacks transparency as they do not disclose ownership. A search reveals that London-based ALL Perspectives Ltd owns GB News. According to Reuters, the television channel “secured millions of dollars from investors such as Discovery Inc, Legatum and hedge fund manager Paul Marshall. source
The TelegraphRightTelegraph Media Group (TMG) owns The Telegraph, which is owned by Press Acquisitions Ltd., which in turn is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. In 2004, Twin Brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay acquired the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph from the Canadian media company Hollinger Inc. for £665 million. For a complete list of Board members, see here. source