Kemi Badenoch steps up to lead Tory Party

Badenoch was elected for her persuasive personality and not policy. Throughout her whole campaign there was more obsession about her Nigerian race than what she stands for.

- ANTONIA FILMER

LONDON The Conservative and Unionist Party has a new Leader, the original favourite Kemi Badenoch was elected by 53,806 Conservative member votes, her competitor Robert Jenrick received 41,388 and 655 ballots were spoilt. The Tory membership eligible to vote was 131,680 and turn-out was expectedly low only at 72.8%. Evidently Badenoch had a clear majority, however just over a quarter of members did not note, and it is notable how small the Tory membership is, compared to in the early 1950's during Churchill's time when the party had a membership of 2.8 million.

Badenoch was elected on her persuasive personality and not policy, throughout her whole campaign there was more obsession about her Nigerian race than what she stands for. Lord William Hague commented it was clever of her not to commit to policies as it allowed so much room to manoeuvre and not be held to account for promises made during her campaign; a lesson that Keir Starmer's government is learning at the moment.

Badenoch has formed her new Shadow Cabinet giving three of her competitors Shadow roles, Priti Patel as Shadow Foreign Secretary, Robert Jenrick as Shadow Justice Secretary, Mel Stride as Chancellor; the rest comprise of some Rishi Sunak holdovers such as Clare Cotinho and Victoria Atkins, and some relatively new but early backer MPs.

It has been reported but unconfirmed that Jeremy Hunt, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat declined Shadow Cabinet roles.