Kemi Badenoch elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party
Kemi Badenoch has been elected leader of the Conservative Party, beating her rival Robert Jenrick by just over 12,000 votes.
The former business secretary was declared the winner at an event in central London on Saturday, defeating rival Robert Jenrick by 53,806 votes to 41,388.
“Clear plan”
She becomes the first black woman elected to lead a major British political party, and the fourth woman to lead the Conservative Party after Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss.
The North West Essex MP will replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Opposition and seek to chart a path back to power for the Tories after their disastrous election defeat in July.
They face a significant challenge, with just 121 MPs after an election that saw the party lose seats to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform.
In a speech following her victory, Ms Badenoch acknowledged that her party’s task was “tough but simple”, saying the Tories had to hold the Government to account and develop a “clear plan” for government.
She added that the party had to be “honest” about the “fact we made mistakes” and “the fact that we let standards slip”.
She said: “The time has come to tell the truth, to stand up for our principles, to plan our future, reset our politics and our thinking, and to give our party and our country the new start they deserve.
“It’s time to get down to business, it’s time to renew.”
Unite
Both her predecessor Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Ms Badenoch on her victory.
Mr Sunak urged the Conservatives to unite behind their new leader, saying: “I know that she will be a superb leader of our great party. She will renew our party, stand up for Conservative values, and take the fight to Labour.”
Sir Keir said: “The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country.
“I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people.”
But Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said the Conservative leadership campaign showed the party had “learned nothing since the British people resoundingly rejected them in July”.
She said: “They could have spent the past four months listening to the public, taking responsibility for the mess they made and changing their party.
“Instead, Kemi Badenoch’s election as leader shows they’re incapable of change.”
Welsh Conservatives
Andrew RT Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said he looked forward to working with Kemi Badenoch to “hold Labour to account”.
He said: “On behalf of the Welsh Conservatives, I’d like to congratulate Kemi on becoming leader of our party and wish her well in leading HM Opposition.
“Both candidates brought forward a positive vision for our country and now that the contest is finished, it’s time to come together and get behind Kemi in holding this dreadful Labour Government to account who have already caused so much damage to Wales in their short time in power in London.
“For Wales, and for the United Kingdom, it’s vital that we put an end to Labour’s rule at both ends of the M4, and I look forward to working with Kemi to make that happen.”
“Offered us nothing”
A YouGov poll published ahead of the result found four in 10 voters had an unfavourable view of Ms Badenoch, including 29% of Conservative voters, while Britons were more likely to think Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would make a better prime minister.
Responding to the announcement of the newly elected leader of the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru’s parliamentary leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Wales wasn’t factored into Kemi Badenoch’s leadership campaign.
“She offered us nothing – no policies, no interest, and no recognition of her party’s collapse here. Instead, her campaign was riddled with blunders
“she claimed maternity pay had gone too far, stigmatised autism, and even suggested civil servants should be locked up. It’s clear that the Conservatives’ problems in Wales are far beyond her reach.”
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Keir Starmer and Ed Davey agree that “Welsh Labour” is not a political party.
No it isn’t but it’s high time it was. Cut the ties you craven cowards. You could be real politicians in a future coalition if you’d only put hearts back where they belong… In Wales
Welsh Labour nothing but a bunch of Westminster doff-capping, sycophantic boot lickers.
ARTD backing winners again. Johnson, Lettuce, Jenrick.
Oh, wait.
At least he has a 100% record in losers.
What are the odds she doesn’t make it to the next GE as leader?
Well, I got this one wrong. The voting membership is well down on the last contest but most of those who left must have been disgruntled Trussies. For all her party unifying talk, she will likely not be the leader at the next GE BUT WAIT! It might depend on who all these people are she talks about bringing in which will determine a change of direction, the right one if she is serious about owning up to the past or the wrong one if she intends to go Reform UK on steroids.
Time will tell which way this goes (I expect far right and deregulation, you now more grenfells type deregulation). Jenrick and Badenoch should never have left the back benches, but Johnson cull allowed for the ability test to be lowered to nigh on zero (mogg as a minster for hecks sake). None of her trade “deals” delivered anything meaningful. I don’t think there are many political reporters that will say boo at first though the usual suspect off shore non dom owned press rags will come out fighting anyone who does say boo. Interestung to see which way the reform… Read more »
Well, when she says we let standards slip and it’s time to be honest and tell the truth, that would appear to rule out a return for BoJo but remember Sunaks’ accountability, professionalism and integrity speech which came off the rails within days coupled with stating that Jenrick will be wanted for many years to come, watch out folks and watch this space, she’s coming for you. No matter how mediocre to bad the current UK Labour administration is viewed or may be, what appears to be the only alternative is this. Warning! Danger! High toxicity!
I wouldn’t underestimate a party that put Boris and Truss in charge not to do it again. The people (and think tanks and press barons) that voted those two chancers in are still around, with a vote.
The farce is strong in this party.
No odds required. Foregone conclusion.
Tough for UK Labour to swallow. Nearly 50 years since ascendancy of Thatcher and the preachers of E,D &I still prefer a series of grey men in dull(expensive) suits. Now Tories make another bold step and elect a black woman as leader rather than a dull exceedingly tedious white man. Nearest Labour have got to a woman of colour in a leadership role is when Eluned gets her angry red face on her !
I doubt whether he was really going to be the dull and tedious man who secretly wanted to drag the Tories back to the centre. It seems more likely that Jenrick really was radicalised to the right.
Watching the smirking Tories on TV backslapping each other after electing Kemi Badenoch as leader would never have thought they’d been in power for 14 years, ruined so many lives, screwed the economy, and been humiliated after their wipeout to Labour during the recent General Election. They haven’t a care in the world. Arrogance personified.
Stand by for a futile lurch to right.
Where on earth will the One Nation Tories go now?
Probably the Lib Dems.
Are there any left? Thought Bojo the clown pulled the trapdoor on them …
Rishi Sunak was also not white. While the Conservative Party has developed an impressive record of appointing women and ethnic minorities as leader, it really should no longer be commented on rather accepted as normal.
She’s an evangelical anglo-supremacist shamelessly punching down on minority groups.
Well, she has a lot in common with ARTD2. Same sort of playing to the gallery, gaffe prone general ignorance and bad takes. Davies is certainly a talentless blowhard with a plethora of s*** takes instead of reasoned opinions so Badenoch finds herself in good company.
I wonder if she has paid attention to Davies’ performance in the Senedd though. He’s made the Tories unelectable. She appears to be taking the same approach. I mean who punches down on autistic people? A consumate a*** h***.
Badenoch’s election is more of a reflection of what a no hoper Jenrick is.