Kemi Badenoch has emerged as the new leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, vowing to steer it back to its founding values and win over voters after the party’s crushing defeat in July’s general election.
Badenoch, 44, secured 57 percent of party members’ votes in a close contest with former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.
She won 53,806 votes to Jenrick’s 41,388 from the 131,680 eligible electors, with a turnout of 72.8 percent.
The former Equalities Minister takes over from Rishi Sunak, positioning herself as a force for renewal within the Conservative Party.
She argued that the party had drifted too far to the centre, “governing from the left,” and committed to restoring its conservative principles.
Badenoch’s election is historic, making her the first Black woman to lead a major political party in the UK. In her acceptance speech, she acknowledged the challenges ahead, describing her new role as “an enormous honour.”
She outlined her immediate goal: “Our first responsibility as His Majesty’s loyal opposition is to hold this Labour government to account.”
Acknowledging the party’s recent setbacks, she admitted, “We have to be honest about the fact we made mistakes and let standards slip.”
She called on Conservatives to unify around a common purpose.
Born in London to Nigerian parents and raised partly in Lagos, Badenoch entered Parliament in 2017.
Known for her strong stances on issues ranging from identity politics to government accountability, she has both dedicated supporters and vocal critics within and beyond her party.
As the new leader of the opposition, Badenoch will now face Labour’s Keir Starmer in weekly sessions of Prime Minister’s Questions.
Labour’s landslide victory in July marked a shift in the UK’s political landscape, but with the new government facing early challenges, some Conservatives see an opportunity to regain ground by the next election in 2029.
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