UK Conservative Party elects Kemi Badenoch as new leader

Kemi Badenoch has won the race to become the next leader of Britain's Conservative Party. She takes the helm of the opposition at a time when it is seeking to overcome years of division and restore its reputation.

Britain's Conservative Party on Saturday elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader, replacing former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who stepped down after the party's disastrous performance in July's general election.

Badenoch, 44, was declared the winner of the leadership race at an event in central London, beating rival Robert Jenrick 53,806 votes to 41,388.  

'Time to get down to business' — Badenach

She said that becoming party leader was an "enormous honor," but that "the task that stands before us is tough."

"We have to be honest about the fact we made mistakes" and "let standards slip," she added. "It is time to get down to business, it is time to renew."

The July election saw the Conservatives suffer their worst defeat since 1832, ending 14 years in power. They lost more than 200 seats, taking their contingent of lawmakers in the 650-seat parliament down to 121. 

Daunting task ahead

Badenoch, a former business secretary, is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party.

She takes the helm of the opposition at a time when it is seeking to overcome years of division and restore its reputation. She now faces the task of challenging Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer on key issues such as the economy and migration, with the aim of returning the Conservatives to power at the next election, expected in 2029. She has also pledged to win voters back from Reform U.K., the far-right, anti-immigrant party led by populist Nigel Farage.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Badenoch has described herself as a straight-talker and an enemy of wokeness. She has also been critical of multiculturalism and called for a return to conservative values. 

The former software engineer attracted controversy for recent comments suggesting maternity pay was "excessive" and that "not all cultures are equally valid."

nm/kb (AFP, Reuters, dpa)