Kemi Badenoch has won the race to become leader of the Conservative Party, beating Robert Jenrick by 53,806 votes to 41,388.
Kemi Badenoch addressed Tory members after being elected the party’s new leader.
She begins by describing an experience “none of us candidates will ever forget”.
“It is the most enormous honour to be elected to this role, to lead the party that I love – the party that has given me so much.”
“I hope that I will be able to repay that debt.”
Ms Badenoch goes on to thank Rishi Sunak, saying: “No one worked harder in such difficult times,” before wishing him the “very best for the future”.
And, in tribute to Robert Jenrick, she says: “We have all been impressed by your energy and your determination.”
She says she has “no doubt” Mr Jenrick has a “key role to play” in the party for “many years to come”.
The new Conservative leader adds that the task before the Tories is “tough, but simple”.
“Our first responsibility… is to hold this Labour government to account,” she says.
“Our second is no less important, to prepare over the course of the next few years for government.”
She says the party needs clear policies – and a clear plan of how to implements them.
“That huge job begins today.”
Ms Badenoch says “this is not just about the Conservative Party, it is about the people we need to bring back to the Conservative Party, it is about the people we need to bring in to the Conservative Party”.
But, she says, the Tories need to be “honest” about the “fact that we made mistakes” and “let standards slip”.
“The time has come to tell the truth.”
