Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the UK Conservative Party, making history as the first Black woman to head a major British political party, Reuters reports.
Badenoch, 44, is set to succeed former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after securing 57% of the votes in the leadership contest, defeating former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who received 43%. Badenoch aims to guide the party back to its founding principles following a significant defeat in the July election, where their seats in parliament fell from 365 to 121. She criticized the party for moving toward the political center, advocating for free speech, free enterprise, and free markets.
Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed her victory as a significant moment for the country, though Badenoch prefers to downplay the significance of her race, stating she wants it to be seen as unimportant as hair or eye color.
