The U.K. Conservative party's new leader is the first Black woman to lead a major British party

LONDON — Britain’s Conservative Party on Saturday elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound from a crushing election defeat that ended 14 years in power.

LONDON — Britain’s Conservative Party on Saturday elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound 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) defeated rival lawmaker Robert Jenrick in a vote of almost 100,000 members of the right-of-center Conservatives, also known as the Tories.

She got 53,806 votes in the online and postal ballot of party members, to Jenrick’s 41,388.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Badenoch in a post on X, saying "The first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country. I look forward to working with you and your party in the interests of the British people."

But many of the congratulations pouring in came layered with criticism. Labour Party Chair Ellie Reeves said “Kemi was part of the chaos of the last 14 years.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/uk-conservative-party-kemi-badenoch-new-leader-rcna178503

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