The UK’s battle-scarred Conservatives on Saturday elected “anti-woke” candidate Kemi Badenoch as its new head, making her the first black leader of a major UK party.

The combative former equalities minister replaces Rishi Sunak and now faces the daunting task of reuniting a divided and weakened party emphatically ousted from power in July after 14 years in charge.

Badenoch, 44, came out on top in the two-horse race with former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, winning 57 percent of the votes of party members.

She said it was an “enormous honour” to assume the role, but that “the task that stands before us is tough.”

“We have to be honest about the fact we made mistakes” and “let standards slip,” she said.

“It is time to get down to business, it is time to renew,” she added.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Badenoch, writing on X that “the first Black leader of a Westminster party is a proud moment for our country.”

Source: AFP