London, November 3, 2024 – The Europe Today: Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, making history as the first black woman to lead a major British political party. Her election on Saturday marks a significant shift in the party’s leadership, succeeding Rishi Sunak.
The 44-year-old politician, who was born in the UK and raised in Nigeria and the US, secured her position by defeating rival MP Robert Jenrick with a decisive margin of 12,418 votes, as reported by the BBC. In her victory speech, Badenoch, who entered Parliament in 2017 following a career in banking and information technology, pledged to revitalize the party after its recent electoral challenges, which culminated in its worst defeat during the general election in July.
Badenoch emphasized the necessity of regaining the trust of voters who have distanced themselves from the Conservatives, stating that the party is “critical to the success of our country.” She acknowledged that, to be effective, the party must be more transparent and candid about its shortcomings, admitting to having “made mistakes” and “let standards slip” during its 14 years in power.
The Conservative Party’s defeat in July allowed the Labour Party to return to power for the first time in 14 years. Like her predecessors, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, Sunak faced an unprecedented decline in living standards in the UK, exacerbated by rising energy costs and soaring inflation following the country’s decision to reduce its reliance on Russian fossil fuels in 2022.
