Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said that Islamic terrorism is a much bigger threat to the UK than white male extremism as depicted in Netflix’s hit Adolescence series. The Tory leader warned that the series is merely a “work of fiction”, after Keir Starmer hosted the creators of the series at Downing Street yesterday to discuss its impact.
The Labour leader has said the series shines a light on the need to tackle young boys being dragged into a “whirlpool of hatred and misogyny”. However, his Conservative opposite pushed back, insisting the problem “is not the biggest thing that is happening in the world today”. Ms Badenoch told LBC’s Nick Ferrari that while she hasn’t had time to watch the Netflix drama, “I understand is that this is a fictional representation of a story that is actually quite different”.
Adolescence portrays the problems with young white male extremism (Image: Netflix)
“And I think it’s an interesting story. It certainly touches on some of the things that are happening in the world today, but it is not the biggest thing that is happening in the world today, in terms of what is happening to people being radicalised on social media.”
“There are bigger problems, such as Islamic terrorism and that kind of radicalisation. And the story which it is based on has been fundamentally changed and so creating policy on a work of fiction rather than on reality is the real issue. We have a policy, for instance, to ban mobile phones from schools for those children who are under the age of 16.”
Ms Badenoch appeared to be referring to online claims that the characters in the series may have been ‘race swapped’.
Ms Badenoch said Islamic extremism is a bigger threat (Image: LBC)
Actor Stephen Graham, who plays the father in the series, has said that it was inspired by a number of true murders, including 12-year-old Ava White in Liverpool, 15-year-old Elianne Andam in south London, and 16-year-old Brianna Ghey in Warrington.
Ms Badenoch said she had not had time to watch the series, unlike the Prime Minister, but hit back at critics who may suggest she should.
The Tory leader: “I pay attention, but I’m not going to watch every single thing that everybody’s watching on Netflix… I have read about it.”
Sir Keir Starmer has said that watching the series with his teenage children, a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.
The hit drama is about a 13-year-old boy played by Owen Cooper accused of murdering a female classmate, and explores the impact of misogynist ideas which are spread over the internet.
Speaking to BBC 5Live, Sir Keir said: “I am worried about this. I have got a 16 year-old-boy and a 14-year-old girl … we are watching Adolescence with them.
“I do think this is something that we have to take seriously. We have to address. We can’t shrug our shoulders at it.”
He said: “A lot of parents… recognise that we may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address.”
