The UK’s Conservative Party elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader on Saturday, following a major defeat in the July election that ended the party’s 14-year rule. Badenoch, who defeated fellow conservative Robert Jenrick in a vote by the party’s nearly 100,000 members, is now the first Black woman to lead a major British political party. She succeeds former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Badenoch, 44, was born in London to Nigerian parents and spent much of her youth in Africa. A former software engineer, she has gained a reputation as a political disruptor, advocating for low taxes and a free-market economy. As the sixth leader of the Conservative Party in less than nine years, she faces the critical task of unifying the party and guiding it through a period of transformation.
In her first statement as leader, Badenoch pledged to hold Labour’s government, led by Sir Keir Starmer, accountable. She also stressed the importance of rebuilding the Conservative Party’s platform in preparation for the next election.
“Our first responsibility is to hold the Labour government to account,” Badenoch stated. “Our second, no less important task, is to prepare ourselves for government, so that by the next election, we offer the British people not only a clear set of Conservative promises but a clear plan to implement them.”
Badenoch acknowledged the party’s past mistakes and emphasized the need for honesty in winning back former supporters. “We have to be honest about the fact that we let standards slip,” she remarked. “The time has come to tell the truth.”
In the coming days, Badenoch is expected to announce her leadership team, marking the first steps in her bid to restore Conservative strength and public confidence.
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