Kemi Badenoch Becomes First Black Woman to Lead UK Tories, Names Patel and Jenrick to Shadow Cabinet

Nov 4, 2024, 05:49 PM

Kemi Badenoch has been elected as the new leader of the UK's Conservative Party, replacing Rishi Sunak. Badenoch is the first Black woman and first immigrant to lead a major British political party. She has begun forming her shadow cabinet, appointing former leadership rivals and key figures in an effort to unite the party. Notably, Priti Patel, who was previously forced to resign in 2017 over unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials, has been appointed as Shadow Foreign Secretary. Robert Jenrick, who has advocated for quitting the European Convention on Human Rights, has been appointed as Shadow Justice Secretary, while Mel Stride has been named Shadow Chancellor. Chris Philp takes the role of Shadow Home Secretary. Badenoch's appointments signal an attempt to bridge party divisions and focus on meritocracy, although some "big beasts" like Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly are absent from the shadow cabinet. International figures, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have congratulated Badenoch on her election, expressing confidence in continued Israel-British partnership. Badenoch has been described as "pro-Israel" and is a passionate supporter of Brexit. Badenoch's election has been celebrated internationally, including in Nigeria, where her name has been trending on social media for two days. She has promised to "renew" the Conservative Party and "get down to business" as the opposition leader. Facing the challenge of making the Tories electable again, Badenoch must address internal divisions and policy challenges. Former Tory MP Sir Conor Burns said of her, "She's amazing. She's going to be a breath of fresh air."