Kemi Badenoch challenges moves to remove ‘Empire’ from British honours

King Charles is addressing Britain’s history of slavery as calls for reparations grow. The Conservative Party’s new leader, Kemi Badenoch, is hesitant about removing the term “empire” from British honours. There are discussions about potentially renaming the Order of the British Empire to the Order of British Excellence or the Order of Elizabeth, but any changes would need government approval. Badenoch is likely to oppose this change, as she values tradition in the honours system and does not see the empire as something to be ashamed of. Lopez, the Shadow Culture Secretary, believes Badenoch’s stance reflects a commitment to upholding the traditional values represented by British honours.