The Conservatives in Great Britain have elected Kemi Badenoch as their new leader, the first black woman to lead a major British party

LONDON — Outspoken right-wing MP Kemi Badenoch was named Britain’s Conservative opposition leader on Saturday as the party tries to bounce back from a crushing election defeat that ended 14 years in power.

The first black woman to lead a major British political party, Badenoch (pronounced BADE-enock) has pledged to bring about “renewal” of the centre-right Conservatives, pushing for a smaller state and rejecting identity politics.

Badenoch defeated rival candidate Robert Jenrick in an online and postal ballot of party members, winning 57% of the nearly 100,000 votes cast, to Jenrick’s 43%.

Badenoch, 44, replaces former prime minister Rishi Sunak, who in July led the Conservatives to their worst election result since 1832.

The new leader’s daunting challenge is to restore the party’s reputation after years of division, scandal and economic turmoil, hammer home Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s policies on key issues including the economy and immigration, and return the Conservatives to power at the next election . 2029.

“The task before us is hard but simple,” Badenoch said in a victory speech to a packed room of Tory MPs, staff and journalists in London. She said the party’s job was to hold the Labor government to account and produce commitments and a plan for government.

Addressing the party’s election issue, she said “we have to be honest – honest about the fact that we’ve made mistakes, honest about the fact that we’ve let standards slip”.

“The time has come to tell the truth, stand up for our principles, plan for our future, reset our politics and thinking, and give our party and our country the fresh start it deserves.” said Badenoch.