COMPANIES TOLD: END THIS WOKE 'MADNESS'

● Cabinet minister tears into bosses over diversity drive ● It's a big turn-off for many customers, according to poll

- David Williamson

A TOP Cabinet minister last night told woke bosses to stop lecturing people and get back to delivering great goods and services.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch accused firms of wasting too much time on political gestures and activism which can turn off potential customers.

She also called for a return to common sense when recruiting staff, warning that "well-meaning" equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives can "divide rather than unify".

She was backed by fellow Tory and Red Wall MP Alexander Stafford who slammed the "woke madness".

Mrs Badenoch, left, a hot favourite to be next Conservative leader, declared: "The public want the focus of business to be on delivering great products and services, not activism or political causes - which repel as many people as they attract."

Her remarks will delight her fans on the Tory Right but are likely to provoke a fierce backlash from the Left. Her outburst is backed by research which shows only a tiny minority of people are more likely to buy a company's products if it publicly backs "progressive" causes such as Palestinian statehood or transgender rights.

The majority said it would make no difference or would be less likely to buy goods, according to a Deltapoll survey for Policy Exchange.

Mrs Badenoch, who was born in London to parents of Nigerian origin and grew up in the US Nigeria, added: and "Overwhelmingly, people want companies to recruit on merit, selecting the best person for the job without regard to race or gender, rather than social engineering to create 'diverse teams'."