Ms. Badenoch’s ascent is partly the result of a deliberate diversifying of the party under David Cameron in the 2000s. In her politics, she exemplifies its more recent rightward turn.

The leadership election was set-off by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision to resign as party leader.

Badenoch replaces Rishi Sunak, who stood down as party leader following the Conservatives' defeat in the 2024 general election.

Ms. Badenoch, 44, whose parents were immigrants from Nigeria, becomes the first Black woman to head a party that has had three other female leaders — Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss. She succeeds Rishi Sunak, who became the first nonwhite British prime minister after taking over the Tories, Britain’s oldest party, in 2022.

The new leader of the UK Conservatives, the first Black woman to lead a major British political party, is expected to push the Tories further toward the right. Kemi Badenoch was elected Saturday to lead the party, after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stepped down following its crushing electoral defeat to Labour in July.

Loved by her conservative base for expressing opinions that others shy away from, the politician – born in London to Nigerian parents and raised in Nigeria – is also loathed for her positions on issues,

Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservative Party, winning with her Renewal 2030 campaign that aims to reset Tory values and hold Labour to account.

Kemi Badenoch is chairing her first meeting of the shadow cabinet as leader this morning. We had been expecting to find out who will actually be turning up at some p

Rebecca Harris will be the Conservative Party's chief whip in Kemi Badenoch's new shadow cabinet. The MP for Castle Point in Essex — who was first elected in 2010 — will replace Stuart Andrew. The job of chief whip is to maintain party discipline and try to ensure MPs vote as the leadership would like them to.