Entertainment Kemi Badenoch the beatles

Kemi Badenoch claimed her favourite Beatles song is Yellow Submarine, and the internet gave her a hard day’s night – 15 hit responses

Laura Kuenssberg attracts some big names to her Sunday morning political discussion show, including prime ministers, but yesterday (at the time of writing), she had a really big name on – Sir Paul McCartney.

The former Beatle, still writing and performing at the age of 82, discussed the danger A.I. poses to the arts – calling on the Government to address it as they consider a change of copyright law.

Powerful message from Sir Paul McCartney to the UK government on their plans to upend copyright law to benefit AI companies:

“You’re supposed to protect us. … Make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not going to have them.”

www.bbc.com/news/article…

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— Ed Newton-Rex (@ednewtonrex.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM

At the start of the show, Laura Kuenssberg gave her two main political guests, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, a chance to share their favourite Beatles song.

There’s no reason why Kemi Badenoch, born in 1980 and largely raised outside of the U.K., should have a favourite Beatles song, but it’s okay to say that – rather than do what we suspect she did and just say the first one she could think of.

Kemi Badenoch tells the BBC her favourite Beatles song is Yellow Submarine.

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— Sunder Katwala (sundersays) (@sundersays.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:22 AM

Unfortunately for her, she made her choice and she’s going to have to carry that weight, because the internet wasn’t buying it, and before any time at all had passed, she was dragged into next week.

1.

I like the Beatles a lot, don't get me wrong. But this is the kind of song you play 24 hours a day to an enemy spy in a CIA cell.

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— Stephen McGann (@stephenmcgann.uk) January 26, 2025 at 10:11 AM

2.

Kemi Badenoch has done a lot of gaffes but I’m not sure anyone will forgive her saying her favourite Beatles song is… Yellow Submarine #bbclaurak

— dave ❄️ (@davemacleod.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:42 AM

3.

Yellow Submarine sails close to the Alan Partridge "Best of the Beatles" joke

— Sunder Katwala (sundersays) (@sundersays.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM

4.

‘My favourite Beatles movie is most definitely Herbie Goes Bananas…’

Kemi Badenoch

#bbclaurak

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— Stuzi (@stuzipants.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 10:29 AM

5.

The only way this could have gone worse for her was if she'd said Maxwell's Silver Hammer

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— Otto English (@ottoenglish.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:50 AM

6.

The fact that Yellow Submarine is Kemi Badenoch's favourite song by The Beatles speaks volumes.
Yellow Submarine is a superficial children's song. One of their worst IMHO.

— Peter Smith (@redpeter99.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM

7.

The thing is, it’s exactly the answer I’d expect from someone without a soul!

It was more interesting that she offered up her all time favourite song ever is Cop Killer by Body Count!

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— Grumpelstiltskin (@maxwellshabbsby.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 10:25 AM

8.

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— Toby Earle (@tobyontv.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM

9.

Already dreading working in Westminster on Wednesday as Steve Bray plays Yellow Submarine on a loop

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— Josh Self (@josh-self.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 11:02 AM

10.

Politicians enduring inability to give a normal human answer if they haven't been specifically briefed for it.

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— Sam Whyte (@samwhyte.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 10:12 AM

11.

#2746 in Things That Are Wierd About Kemi Badenoch. Her favourite Beatles song is Yellow Submarine. Yellow Submarine?! #bbclaurak

— Sunderland Lollipops (@sunderlandlolly.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM

12.

Yellow Submarine is very apt for Kemi Badenoch. I get a sinking feeling every time she speaks.

— @stvk1 (@stv1dr.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 11:43 AM

13.

Can’t believe Badenoch went for “Yellow Submarine” when “I’m a Loser” was standing there screaming “Pick me! Pick me!”

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— Nick O’D (@gnickod.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 9:51 AM

14.

Badenoch, in common with most Tory leaders of my lifetime, has extremely strong Alien Guessing What Humans Like energy.

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— Pete Fraser (@petefrasermusic.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM

15.

Anyway, if you want an answer that would appease most Beatles fans it's that your favourite Beatles song has changed over time, and it's not a fixed thing, often it's the one you're listening to right now, and in fact, here's my 200 episode podcast detailing my changing relationship with every song.

— Rob Manuel (@robmanuelyeah.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 12:33 PM

James O’Brien felt for her.

I suspect the very worst thing you could do to Kemi Badenoch, from Kemi Badenoch’s point of view, is feel sorry for her. But there is no uncontroversial answer to the (stupid) question about your favourite Beatles song.

— James O’Brien (@mrjamesob.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 10:47 AM

Maybe she identifies with the Blue Meanies. Who knows?

We suspect that won’t be the end of the matter.

READ MORE

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Image Wikimedia Commons, Screengrab