Kemi Badenoch has vowed to “renew” the Conservatives after being elected party leader, beating right-winger Robert Jenrick.

He takes over from Rishi Sunak, who led the Conservatives to their worst-ever election defeat in July.

In his victory speech, he told party members that it was “time to get to work” and “time for renewal”.

Badenoch, who grew up in Nigeria, became the first black woman to lead a major political party in the UK.

He is the sixth Tory leader in less than eight-and-a-half years and faces the challenge of uniting a fragmented party.

He said his “first responsibility” as the new Tory leader was to hold this Labor government to account.

“The second is no less important – to prepare for the next few years of government.”

Badenoch said the party should focus on plans to “bring back” voters who have abandoned the Conservatives, adding: “Our party is critical to the success of our country.

“But we must be honest to be heard.”

He said the party needed to admit it had “made mistakes” and “allowed standards to decline” over the last 14 years in government.

In his speech, he hinted that Jenrick would be given a high-level post and said, “You will have an important role in our party in the coming years.”

The final result saw Badenoch win with 53,806 votes to Jenrick’s 41,388 votes; this was the closest leadership vote in the party’s history.

Bob Blackman, who oversaw the election as chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, announced that party membership had fallen from 172,000 to just under 132,000 in 2022.

All eyes will now be on who Badenoch appoints to his senior team as he determines the future shape of the party.

The BBC has been told that Badenoch does not plan to announce the members of his shadow cabinet on Saturday.

Badenoch had previously told his six rivals that he would be at the front of the pack in the leadership race.

But shadow home secretary James Cleverly, who came third in the race, and shadow environment secretary Steve Barclay have already excluded themselves from the front row.

Congratulated by predecessor Sunak published on social media: “I know he will be an excellent leader of our great party.

“He will renew our party, defend Conservative values ​​and take the fight to Labour.”

former prime minister Boris Johnson praised He said Badenoch had “courage and clarity” and “brought much-needed excitement and enthusiasm to the Conservative Party”.

“Kemi has just the right courage and clarity to expose Starmer’s failings,” he said.

One social media postPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was “a proud moment for our country to have the first Black leader of the Westminster party”.

“I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people,” he said.

But Labor leader Ellie Reeves said the Conservative Party’s leadership campaign showed the party had “learned nothing since the British people resoundingly rejected them in July”.

“They could have spent the last four months listening to public opinion, taking responsibility for their mess and changing their party.

“The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader instead shows that they are incapable of change.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey also congratulated Badenoch, saying “the first Black leader of a major political party in Britain is a historic moment for the country.”

But Deputy UK Reform Leader Richard Tice described Badenoch as “another in a line of Conservative politicians who say one thing and do another”.

He said in a statement: “Kemi Badenoch was front and center of a Government that had let Britain down.”

Immigration, the economy and how the Conservatives can rebuild voters’ trust have dominated the debate throughout the 14-week campaign.

The party was damaged Worst overall defeat in history in July It was reduced to 121 seats in the House of Commons, a record low of less than 24% of the vote.

While the party was losing voters across the board to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK, thousands of Conservative voters also chose to stay at home in the July 4 poll.

Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat spent the summer campaigning alongside Jenrick, Badenoch and Cleverly after putting their names forward in the nominations at the end of July.

Dame Priti and Stride were the first two candidates eliminated in Tory MPs’ votes in September, leaving four candidates left when the party meets in Birmingham for its autumn conference at the end of the month.

He appeared to have wisely taken the lead after the conference, coming first in the third parliamentary vote with 39 votes, while Tugendhat was eliminated.

However, in the final vote of MPs, he received 37 votes from his colleagues, falling behind Badenoch, who received 42 votes, and Jenrick, who received 41 votes.

The final two members then went to a membership vote, which turned out to be closer than many expected; Badenoch had long been seen as a favorite among the party’s base.

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