Kemi Badenoch wins Tory leadership race

Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservatives.

Following an extended contest, Badenoch secured 53,806 votes to Robert Jenrick’s 41,388.

She becomes the party’s third female and first ever black leader.

In a victory speech, Badenoch said it was an “enormous honour” to be elected.

She added: “The task that stands before us is tough but simple. Our first repsonsibility as His Majesty's loyal opposition is to hold this Labour Government to account.

“Our second is no less important. It is to prepare over the course of the next few years for government, to ensure that by the time of the next election we have not just a clear set of Conservative pledges that appeal to the British people, but a clear plan for how to implement them, a clear plan to change this country by changing the way that government works.”

She spoke about the need to bring former Tory voters back to the party, saying this required it to be “honest about the fact that we made mistakes” in government.

The contest was triggered after Rishi Sunak announced his resignation in the wake of the party’s election defeat in July.

Sunak has said he will stay on as a backbench MP. His chancellor Jeremy Hunt has also said he will return to the backbenches and not serve in government.

A reshuffle of the shadow cabinet is expected shortly.

Badenoch said Jenrick would have a “key role to play in our party for many years to come”.

Badenoch and Jenrick were the final two candidates standing following a series of votes among Conservative MPs which saw Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverley knocked out.

The final vote went to the party membership as a whole, totalling 131,680. Turnout was 72.8 per cent.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay – who declined to back any candidate in the contest – said: “My warmest congratulations to Kemi on her election as the new UK Conservative leader. I look forward to us working constructively together to hold the high-tax SNP and Labour governments to account.

“Kemi and I share common-sense conservative values. We’re determined to deliver opportunities for people to get ahead and to reduce taxes for aspirational workers and business owners. We will continue to proudly champion our union and stand up for women’s rights from the threat of dangerous gender ideology.

“We are both committed to winning back public trust by focusing on the issues that impact on people’s lives.”