Kemi Badenoch, 44, has been elected leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, succeeding former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and pledging a decisive shift towards the right to revitalise the party after a crushing defeat in July.
Badenoch, now the first Black woman to lead a major UK political party, aims to steer the Conservatives back to their founding principles, criticising what she describes as a drift toward “governing from the left.”
“The time has come to tell the truth,” Badenoch declared to supporters at the final count of the leadership contest, which ended on Saturday. “It is time to get down to business, it is time to renew.”
In a final ballot of 53,806 party members, Badenoch secured victory over former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who received 41,388 votes. She will be the Conservatives’ fifth leader since 2016, inheriting a party that saw its number of MPs plummet from 365 seats in 2019 to just 121 in the 650-seat parliament this July.
Her leadership comes at a time of internal division, with some more centrist members expressing concern that her right-wing stance could further alienate moderates and voters who had switched to the centrist Liberal Democrats in the last election.
Despite the challenges, Badenoch’s no-nonsense approach has earned her a loyal base among Conservatives. Known for her outspoken positions on identity politics and a desire to reduce state influence, she appeals to a faction within the party that believes a clear rightward turn is necessary to reconnect with disillusioned voters. She has a history of tense interactions with media figures, celebrities, and even some government officials during her time as a trade minister, but this has only bolstered her support among members who are wary of institutional and media influences.
Speaking on the significance of her win and her ambitions for the party, she commented, “The task that stands before us is tough, but simple. Our first responsibility as His Majesty’s loyal opposition is to hold this Labour government to account. Our second is no less important; it is to prepare over the course of the next few years for government.”
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