Kemi: I'm Maggie 2

Leader hopeful on her maternity row

- SOPHIE HUSKISSON

KEMI Badenoch yesterday compared herself to Margaret Thatcher after claiming she was misunderstood over her comments on maternity pay.

The Tory leadership hopeful suggested her critics had attacked her by using a soundbite from an interview that had been edited down.

During the interview she said maternity pay was excessive and had gone too far.

She has now said "of course" she believes in maternity pay. But the row has continued to dominate the annual Tory conference.