Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party, succeeding Rishi Sunak. The party announced her victory on Saturday, making her the first person of African heritage to lead the Tories.
The announcement, shared on the party’s X (formerly Twitter) account, stated: “ANNOUNCED: @KemiBadenoch has been elected Leader of the Conservative Party.” Badenoch, 44, triumphed over rival Robert Jenrick in a leadership race that spanned four months following Sunak’s resignation. According to Conservative MP Bob Blackman, voter turnout for the leadership contest was 72%.
Despite her historic win, public opinion on Badenoch remains divided. A recent YouGov poll indicated that while many have not yet formed an opinion of her, 40% of respondents viewed her unfavorably.
Former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland expressed support for Badenoch, calling her “an excellent person to work with” and highlighting her capability and strong character from their time together in government. Buckland emphasized that Badenoch understands the need to restore trust within the party to achieve future electoral success.
“The role as opposition leader is an ‘unenviable task,’ and she is aware of the immense work needed to win back power,” Buckland said. He encouraged unity within the party, urging members to focus on confronting the government rather than internal conflicts. “She had more MP support than any other candidate, so now is the time to come together,” he added.
Buckland suggested that Badenoch consult think tanks and policy experts to develop innovative policies and guide her leadership. “It’s going to be very hard and unglamorous, but I believe Kemi has the strength of spirit to do it,” he said.
