Kemi Badenoch has emerged victorious in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader after defeating Robert Jenrick in the election among Tory members, following a lengthy contest.
It comes almost four months after the Tories' crushing general election defeat which triggered Sunak's resignation. Badenoch has pledged to bring extensive changes to the party after this summer's election drubbing at the hands of Labour.
“This is not just about the party, it's about the people we want to bring back and those we want to bring in," the new Tory leader said, before going on to say that the party needs to be honest about the fact that they made mistakes. She concluded her speech by saying that it was time to reset their politics by saying: “This gives the country a chance for a new start".
"It's the most enormous honour to be elected" to the role leading the "party that has given me so much", Badenoch said. "It’s time to get down to business, time to renew."
Badenoch gave thanks to her predecessor, Rishi Sunak, as well as her fellow leadership candidates, before going on to say: “The task ahead is going to be tough but simple." There was a 72.8% turnout by the 131,680 Conservative Party members who voted, the 1922 Committee chair announces.
Bob Blackman, the chairperson of the 1922 committee of backbench MPs and also returning officer for the leadership election, welcomed her as the party's first Black leader. "Isn't it great to have another woman as party leader,” he added, in a dig at the Labour Party. Labour still has not had a female leader, although Harriet Harman and Margaret Beckett have both acted as interim leaders.
Badenoch previously assumed the position of Secretary of State for Business and Trade following the merging of the Department for International Trade with elements of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. She retained the responsibilities of Women and Equalities Minister.
After the Conservatives' defeat in the 2024 general election, Badenoch was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in Sunak's Shadow Cabinet. Previously serving in the Cabinet under prime ministers Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak from 2022 to 2024, Badenoch beat Robert Jenrick and was the winner to become the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party with 53,806 votes, while Robert Jenrick received 41,388 of the votes.
