Kemi Badenoch Elected Leader of the Conservative Party
Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party, winning the leadership race against rival Robert Jenrick with a final tally of 53,806 votes to 41,388. The announcement was made during an event in central London on Saturday.
As the MP for North West Essex, Badenoch steps into the role as Leader of the Opposition, succeeding Rishi Sunak. Her main focus now will be rebuilding the Conservative Party following their heavy loss in the July general election. The party faces an uphill battle with just 121 MPs in Parliament after losing a significant number of seats to Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and Reform.
The challenge ahead is considerable. A recent YouGov poll revealed that 40% of voters have an unfavorable view of Badenoch, including 29% of Conservative supporters. Moreover, many Britons see Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as the more suitable candidate for prime minister.