Kemi Badenoch (44), former Secretary of State for Business and Trade, has been elected as the new leader of the UK's main opposition party, the Conservative Party.
According to the BBC and other UK media, Badenoch secured 53,806 votes in the nationwide party member ballot count on the 2nd (local time), defeating Robert Jenrick (42), former Minister of State for Immigration at the Home Office, who received 41,388 votes. The voter turnout was 72.8%.
Kemi Badenoch (44), former Secretary of State for Business and Trade, has been elected as the new leader of the UK's Conservative Party, the main opposition party.
In her acceptance speech as party leader, Badenoch said, "We must be honest about the mistakes we have made," adding, "Now is the time to get down to business and renew the party."
She will lead the Conservative Party following former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who resigned after the party's defeat in the July general election. Badenoch is the first Black leader of a major UK political party and the fourth female leader of the Conservative Party, following Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May, and Liz Truss.
Born to Nigerian immigrant parents in London, Badenoch has worked in banking and publishing and has served as Minister for Women and Equalities and Secretary of State for Business.
Badenoch is known for her skeptical stance on net zero (carbon neutrality) goals and transgender rights, and for her strong personality that enjoys debate. She is also classified as having a right-wing tendency within the Conservative Party.
During the leadership contest, she claimed that maternity benefits were being excessively spent and sparked controversy by stating, "Not all cultures are equally valid" in relation to immigration issues.
Badenoch's main challenge is "party rebuilding." The Conservative Party currently holds less than half the seats of the ruling party. Years of internal division, various scandals, and economic turmoil have caused its support to collapse.
In the July general election, the Conservative Party won only 121 out of 650 seats, losing power to the Labour Party, which secured 412 seats. This marked the first time in 14 years that the Conservatives lost power to Labour and was recorded as the worst defeat in Conservative history since 1832. The next general election is scheduled for 2029.
Former Prime Minister Sunak urged on X (formerly Twitter) that "she will renew our party, uphold conservative values, and fight against Labour," calling for unity around her leadership.
Labour leader Keir Starmer congratulated the "first Black party leader" and said, "I look forward to working with you and your party for the benefit of the British people."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
