The Conservative Party in Britain elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader on Saturday, marking a significant attempt to recover from a major election defeat that ended 14 years in power.
Badenoch, pronounced BADE-enock, triumphed over rival lawmaker Robert Jenrick in a vote involving nearly 100,000 party members. She is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party.
Badenoch succeeds former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who oversaw the Conservatives’ worst electoral performance since 1832, with the party losing over 200 seats and bringing their total down to just 121.
The new leader faces the challenging task of restoring the party’s reputation following years of internal division, scandals, and economic difficulties.
Badenoch aims to critique Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s policies on key issues like the economy and immigration, with an eye toward regaining power in the next election, which is expected by 2029.
In her victory speech to Conservative lawmakers, staff, and journalists in London, Badenoch stated, “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, equally important responsibility, is to prepare for government, ensuring we have a clear set of Conservative pledges that resonate with the British people and a concrete plan for implementing them.”
A former business secretary in the previous Conservative administration, Badenoch was born in London to Nigerian parents and spent a significant part of her childhood in Nigeria.
At 44, the former software engineer presents herself as a disruptor, advocating for a low-tax, free-market economy and promising to “rewire, reboot and reprogram” the British state.
Badenoch has been a critic of multiculturalism and has faced backlash for comments suggesting that “not all cultures are equally valid” and that maternity pay is excessive.
After a competitive three-month race, Conservative lawmakers narrowed the field from six candidates before allowing party members to vote on the final two.
Both finalists aligned with the party’s right wing, contending that they could win back voters from Reform U.K., a hard-right, anti-immigrant party led by populist Nigel Farage, which has siphoned support from the Conservatives.
However, some party members express concern that shifting further right could alienate the broader electorate, particularly as many voters have also shifted to Labour and the centrist Liberal Democrats.
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