Kemi Badenoch, a Black woman, recently became the leader of the Conservatives, making her the first Black woman to head a major British political party. She won the leadership contest on a promise to bring the party back to its founding principles and lead it through a period of renewal after their defeat in the July election. Badenoch is on the right of the Conservative Party and plans to push for policies shrinking the state and challenging what she sees as institutional left-wing thinking.
Badenoch won 57% of the party members’ votes in a months-long contest against former immigration minister Robert Jenrick. Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed her victory, calling it a proud moment for the country. Badenoch does not focus on her race and has said she wants the color of her skin to be no more significant than the color of her hair or eyes. Her leadership will be closely watched by Black voters in London, who will judge her based on her actions as leader of the Conservatives rather than solely her race.
Some criticism has been levied against Badenoch for not embracing her Blackness more openly by Black voters, who feel she should be proud of her heritage. Vaughan Gething, who became the first Black leader of the Welsh Labour Party earlier in the year, resigned after just four months due to ministerial resignations in protest over his leadership. Badenoch, who replaces former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aims to tackle the challenges within the party head-on and has vowed to be transparent about the party’s failures in the July election.
Badenoch’s forthright views on identity politics and the role of officials have attracted both admirers and detractors. Her no-nonsense approach is expected to shake up the Conservatives, who saw a significant drop in the number of seats they held in Parliament following the July election. Some Centrist Conservatives worry that Badenoch’s more right-leaning policies may alienate both moderate party members and voters who were won over by the Liberal Democrats in the last election.
Despite concerns, some Conservatives are increasingly optimistic about the party’s chances of regaining power at the next election, which is set to be held in 2029. Badenoch intends to lead the opposition in holding the Labour government accountable and preparing the party for a potential return to government in the future. Her strong stance on various issues and willingness to address challenges within the party suggest she will bring a transformative energy to the Conservative Party under her leadership.
