Kemi Badenoch, the new UK Conservative Party Leader, has promised to win back voters who have deserted the Tories. The 44-year-old becomes the first black woman to lead a major political party in the UK.

She defeated right-winger Robert Jenrick, 42, by 12,418 votes after the contest to replace Rishi Sunak, who led the party to the biggest defeat in its history in July 2024's general election.

In her acceptance speech, Badenoch promised to "renew" the party and told supporters it was "time to get down to business".

Badenoch, the sixth Tory leader in less than nine years, must unite a disintegrated party and effectively oppose Keir Starmer's Labour government.

The Saffron Walden MP - Badenoch - said the Conservatives need to "bring back" voters who abandoned them, saying: "Our party is critical to the success of our country. But to be heard, we have to be honest."

She said the party must admit it "made mistakes" and "let standards slip" over the last 14 years in power.

Badenoch did not outline detailed policies during her campaign. Instead, she focused on returning the Conservatives to "first principles."

Interest will now turn to who she appoints to her top team as she reassembles the party over the coming days.

Badenoch, who became an MP in 2017 after a career in banking and IT, said she would offer jobs to all of the Tories who launched leadership bids in July. But shadow home secretary James Cleverly, who came third in the race, has ruled himself out.

It is understood that Badenoch plans to reveal her shadow cabinet by Wednesday, ahead of the critical Budget vote and her debut clash with Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Badenoch got 53,806 votes to Jenrick’s 41,388 - making it the closest Tory leadership race in recent times.

Bob Blackman, who oversaw the election as chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, revealed that the party membership had shrunk to 132,000—the lowest level on record and down 40,000 members since the last vote by members in 2022.

Several of her predecessors congratulated Badenoch, including Sunak, who posted on social media, external: "I know that she will be a superb leader of our great party."

Ex-PM Boris Johnson lauded external Badenoch's "courage and clarity" and said she "brings a much-needed zing and zap to the Conservative Party."

In an external social media post, Starmer said, "The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country." He added: "I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people."

However, Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said the Conservative leadership campaign showed the party had "learned nothing since the British people resoundingly rejected them in July".

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey congratulated Badenoch, saying, "The first Black leader of a major UK political party is a historic moment for the country."

But Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice called Badenoch "another in a long line of Tory politicians who say one thing and do another". In a statement, he said: "Kemi Badenoch was front and centre of a government that failed Britain."

Over the 14-week campaign, the debate was dominated by immigration, the economy and how the Conservatives can rebuild trust with voters. At the general election, the party was reduced to a record low of 121 seats in the House of Commons, with under 24% of the vote.

It lost voters in all directions to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK, with thousands of Tory voters also choosing to stay home on the 04 July election.

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