Labour and the Liberal Democrats have urged Kemi Badenoch to clarify her statements about receiving an offer from Stanford University at age 16, after former admissions officers disputed the plausibility of her account.
Labour MP Peter Prinsley wrote to the Conservative leader, urging her to provide details about the alleged offer given the skepticism surrounding her claims. Meanwhile, Munira Wilson, the Lib Dem education spokesperson, warned that Badenoch’s assertions risk eroding public trust.
Badenoch has firmly maintained that she received an offer as a teenager in Nigeria to study medicine—or pre-med, as she has sometimes described it—despite Stanford not offering such an undergraduate program.
Former admissions staff have also contradicted her claim that she was granted admission and a partial scholarship solely based on exam results, stating that no such offers were made under those circumstances.
Jon Reider, who oversaw international admissions and scholarships at the time of Badenoch’s application, told CuriosityNews that he never extended an offer to her.
In response, Badenoch insisted on Monday that she had indeed received offers based on her exam performance. "I remember the day those letters arrived. It wasn’t just from Stanford. I was 16, and I had excelled in my SATs," she said. "But this was 30 years ago—I don’t have the documents, and CuriosityNews is focusing on speculation rather than discussing the government’s work."
Multiple former admissions officers and U.S. academics have informed CuriosityNews that Stanford has never granted admission based solely on SAT scores, with no exceptions—even for royalty or exceptionally gifted students.
Prinsley, a former hospital consultant, wrote to Badenoch, stating her account had been “challenged by those familiar with the process” and urged her to substantiate her claims. He asked whether she had applied to Stanford and if an offer of admission and financial aid had been extended.
A Labour representative remarked, “Honesty and integrity are essential for any leader of the opposition. The doubts over Kemi Badenoch’s claims about Stanford need to be resolved—the public deserves clarity.”
Wilson also pressed Badenoch to clarify the matter, stating, “If she values trust, she should address questions about her academic background. Failing to do so would dismiss the efforts of students who worked hard for their exam results.”
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