Labour’s Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch have clashed on many things – from Chagos to the NHS. But it transpires that they do have at least one thing in common: a love for Game of Thrones’ House Targaryen.
When The Spectator’s Katy Balls interviewed the Leader of the Opposition at Christmas, the newly elected Tory leader was quick to state her admiration for the series. ‘I’m also a Game of Thrones fan. The White Walkers are out there!’ she warned – referring to the zombie army threatening mankind in the George R.R. Martin books. On her favourite character, Badenoch didn’t hesitate. ‘I strongly associated with Daenerys, yes,’ the no-nonsense Tory leader replied – citing the programme’s self-confessed ‘Mother of Dragons’.
Just a few months on, in conversation with Katy for the Easter edition of The Spectator, Streeting has unwittingly let slip that he too harboured a deep-seated fascination with the fantasy TV programme. In fact, not only is the Health Secretary currently rewatching the eight-season show, Wes is also reading George R. R. Martin’s Fire and Blood – a history of the House of Targaryen. Perhaps the Health Secretary’s immersion in the politics of fantastical warring nations gives some sign of the challenges he’s come up against with NHS chiefs…
But not even enjoying a shared interest can relieve tensions between the pair. On finding out that Kemi said she sees herself as Daenerys, mother of dragons, Streeting was quick to scoff: ‘Did she? You see I love Daenerys Targaryen and I don’t feel the same about Kemi!’ Ouch.
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