Breaking
Kemi Badenoch wins race to be next Tory leader
SKY NEWS UK
By Tim Baker – Political reporter
Saturday 2 November 2024
The North West Essex MP has won the popular vote among the Conservative Party members – beating Robert Jenrick to be the next leader of the opposition.
Kemi Badenoch has won the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
The 44-year-old North West Essex MP has been declared the winner of the months-long contest, beating Robert Jenrick.
Ms Badenoch received 53,806 votes to Mr Jenrick’s 41,388.
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Ms Badenoch has served as shadow business and trade secretary since the Conservative Party lost the general election in July and Rishi Sunak said he would stand down as leader, triggering the campaign.
Her campaign was called Renewal 2030 and has targeted the next election for the Tories to return to power.
Ms Badenoch has been criticised at times for her outspoken approach, with opponents jumping on comments she has made about subjects such as maternity pay, gender equality and net zero.
But she has long been popular among the party membership, and previously ran to be leader in 2022.
It is not clear who her shadow cabinet will be made up of, but she has suggested that all those who ran to be leader against her should be involved.
However, James Cleverly revealed the day before the results that he would be returning to the backbenches.
Speaking after her win, Ms Badenoch thanked the other candidates, saying the party had come through the campaign “more united”.
She went on to say the party’s first duty as opposition was to hold Labour to account – and also to prepare for government by the time of the next election.
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