Kemi Badenoch has made history as the new leader of the Conservative Party, defeating Robert Jenrick in a decisive vote. As the first black woman to head a major UK political party, she steps into the role following the Conservatives’ most significant election defeat.
Badenoch secured 53,806 votes, surpassing Jenrick’s 41,388 in a result revealed Saturday morning. She succeeds Rishi Sunak and is the sixth Tory leader in under nine years, tasked with unifying a divided party.
Promising to steer the Conservatives back to their “first principles,” Badenoch plans to initiate reviews aimed at establishing a fresh policy framework. At her victory announcement, she asserted, “The time has come to tell the truth. It is time to renew.”
Her straightforward style and strong stances on identity politics resonate with a faction of the party advocating for a bold rightward shift to engage disenchanted voters. While her tenure as a trade minister featured contentious exchanges with media and public figures, this has only solidified her support among party members skeptical of institutional influences.
Reflecting on her new role, Badenoch stated, “Our primary duty as the loyal opposition is to hold the Labour government accountable. Equally important is our preparation for future governance.”
