Kemi Badenoch becomes new Conservative Party leader in UK

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Kemi Badenoch has been elected the new leader of the Conservative party, becoming the first Black woman to lead a major British political party.

Badenoch, 44-year-old North West Essex MP, won the party leadership race after receiving 53,806 votes by party members while her rival Robert Jenrick secured just over 41,000 votes.

She was born in Wimbledon to Nigerian parents.

The Tory leadership race was announced on July 5 when then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his intention to resign as party leader following the Labour Party's landslide victory in the general election.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Badenoch, saying: "The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country."

Sunak said that Badenoch "will be a superb leader" of the Conservative Party.

"She will renew our party, stand up for Conservative values, and take the fight to Labour. Let’s unite behind her," he wrote on X.

In her address after being elected, the new Tory leader said: "It is the most enormous honour to be elected to this role, to lead the party that I love - the party that has given me so much.

"I hope that I will be able to repay that debt," she added.