Kemi Badenoch promises to win back voters who deserted the Conservative Party in droves

NIGERIAN-born Kemi Badenoch has promised to win back voters who have deserted Britain's Conservative Party after winning the party's leadership contest making her the first black female leader of a major European political party.

Born Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke on January 2 1980, Mrs Badenoch has now become the leader of the British opposition after emerging as Conservative Party leader. She defeated fellow right-winger Robert Jenrick, 42, by 12,418 votes after a marathon contest to replace Rishi Sunak, who led the party to the biggest defeat in its history in July's general election.

In her victory speech, Mrs Badenoch promised to renew the Conservative Party and told cheering supporters it was time to get down to business. She is the sixth Tory leader in less than nine years and now faces the task of uniting a fractured party and leading opposition to Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government.

Mrs Badenoch, the Saffron Walden MP said: "Our party is critical to the success of our country but to be heard, we have to be honest. The party must admit it made mistakes and let standards slip over the last 14 years in government."

All eyes will now turn to who she appoints to her top team as she sets out the future shape of the party over the coming days. She praised Mr Jenrick despite a sometimes bruising campaign and hinted he may be offered a senior job, telling him he has a key role in the party for years to come.

Mrs Badenoch, who became an MP in 2017 after a career in banking and IT, has said she would offer jobs to all of the Tories who launched leadership bids in July. However, shadow home secretary James Cleverly, who came third in the race, has ruled himself out of a place in the new shadow cabinet.

Mr Jenrick has called on his supporters to unite behind Kemi. He also thanked everyone who supported his vision for a Conservative Party rooted in the common ground of British politics.

In the vote, Mrs Badenoch got 53,806 votes to Mr Jenrick’s 41,388, making it the closest Tory leadership race of recent times. Bob Blackman, who oversaw the election as chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, revealed the party membership had shrunk to 132,000, the lowest level on record and down 40,000 members since the last vote by members in 2022.

Badenoch was congratulated by several of her predecessors, including Mr Sunak, who said she will be a superb leader of the party. Ex-prime minister Boris Johnson lauded Mrs Badenoch's courage and clarity and said she brings a much needed zing and zap to the Conservative Party.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, added that the first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for the country. He added: "I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people."

Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said the Conservative leadership campaign showed the party had learned nothing since the British people resoundingly rejected them in July. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also congratulated Mrs Badenoch, saying: "The first Black leader of a major UK political party is a historic moment for the country".

However, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice, called Mrs Badenoch another in a long line of Tory politicians who say one thing and do another. He said: “Kemi Badenoch was front and centre of a government that failed Britain."

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph ahead of the budget's unveiling on Wednesday, Mrs Badenoch was critical of the chancellor's plans, saying: "Rachel Reeves is conjuring up billions of pounds out of thin air to invest infrastructure."

In response to the new Tory leader, chancellor Rachel Reeves told the Observer: “If Kemi Badenoch opposes this Budget, then she has to tell the country if she opposes investment to cut waiting lists, investment to recruit teachers and investment to build critical infrastructure. Labour has made its choices, now the Tories need to make theirs.”

Mrs Badenoch told the Sunday Telegraph after her election: "Labour are going to fail because they are repeating many of our mistakes and are doubling down on this broken system."