Promise of a renewed party after Kemi Wins Leadership race

Kemi Badenoch has won the Conservative Party leadership race and has been elected the leader of the Conservative Party.

She becomes the first black woman to become elected to lead a UK major political party.

Mrs Badenoch beat Robert Jenrick by 12,418 votes winning 53,806 to Jenrick’s 41,388.

Badenoch promised to “renew” the party after its biggest electoral defeat in its history.

In her victory speech she said: “it’s time to get down to business.”

Mr Jenrick did not speak to reporters after his defeat.

But later took to social media and urged his supporters: “to unite behind Kemi and take the fight to this disastrous Labour government.”

Kemi said that she would offer jobs to all who launched a leadership bid.

She is said to announce her Shadow Cabinet by Prime ministers’ questions on Wednesday.

In her first speech as Tory Party leader, she hinted at offering Jenrick a senior job despite the somewhat bruising campaign.

However, shadow home secretary James Cleverly has already ruled himself out of a job.

She becomes the sixth leader in as little as nine years.

After successive scandalous governments riddled with factionalism, Kemi’s hope will be to unite the party and take the fight to Labour.

This result makes this Tory leadership race one of the closest ever.

Badenoch has been congratulated by many on becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party.

Boris Johnson praised her for her “courage and clarity” and said she “brings a much-needed zing and zap to the Conservative Party.”

While the prime minister Sir Kier Starmer said: “the first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country.”

The leadership race finally came to a close after months of campaigning.

With some candidates having shown their frustration at the new leaders not being elected by the budget introduced by the Chancellor Rachael Reeves.

Although, Badenoch has already been critical of the budget.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph she said: “Rachael Reeves is Conjuring up billions of pounds out of thin air to invest in infrastructure.”