Kemi Badenoch was elected the new leader of the UK Conservative Party on Saturday, succeeding Rishi Sunak after his resignation following the partyโs poor performance in the July general election.
Badenoch, 44, claimed victory with 57 percent of party membersโ votes, defeating former immigration minister Robert Jenrick in a closely watched contest.
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Speaking after her win, Badenoch called the leadership role an โenormous honourโ and acknowledged the challenges ahead. โThe task that stands before us is tough,โ she remarked. โWe have to be honest about the fact we made mistakesโ and admitted that โstandards slipped,โ signaling a shift in tone and commitment to change. She declared, โIt is time to get down to business, it is time to renew.โ
The former equalities minister, known for her โanti-wokeโ stance, now faces the uphill task of reuniting a fractured Conservative Party, which lost power in July after a 14-year reign. As leader of the opposition, Badenoch will spar with Labour leader Keir Starmer during weekly Prime Ministerโs Questions sessions, but with a significantly reduced Tory presence in Parliament due to the election losses.
Among her immediate challenges is the need to rebuild public trust while preventing further shifts in support to Nigel Farageโs right-wing Reform UK party. Badenoch campaigned on a right-wing platform and advocated for a return to core conservative values, particularly on social issues. She has voiced concerns about the partyโs liberal shift, especially on matters like gender identity, and positions herself as a โstraight-talkerโโa reputation that has sparked both support and controversy.
Addressing immigration, Badenoch has argued that โnot all cultures are equally validโ in deciding who should live in the UK, a statement that has drawn both support and criticism. Her campaign trail remarks stirred further debate, notably her criticism of statutory maternity pay as โexcessiveโ for small businesses and a controversial joke suggesting that up to 10 percent of Britainโs civil servants โshould be in prisonโ due to poor performance.
As the new Conservative leader, Badenoch will now focus on charting a path forward for the party, balancing her right-wing policies with the centrist views held by many Tory members.