Kemi Badenoch has pledged to win back voters who drifted away from the Conservatives, following her historic victory in the party’s leadership contest.

The 44-year-old MP for Saffron Walden is now the first Black woman to lead a major political party in the UK. She won the leadership against fellow conservative Robert Jenrick, 42, by a margin of 12,418 votes, following a lengthy race to succeed Rishi Sunak, who had led the party to its most significant defeat in July’s general election.

In her victory speech, Badenoch vowed to “renew” the Conservative Party, declaring to an enthusiastic crowd that it was “time to get down to business.”

As the sixth Conservative leader in under nine years, Badenoch now faces the challenge of uniting a divided party and leading the opposition against Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer. She emphasized the need to reconnect with voters who have turned away, asserting that “our party is critical to the success of our country” but adding, “to be heard, we have to be honest.”

Reflecting on the Conservatives’ 14 years in government, Badenoch acknowledged that the party had “made mistakes” and “let standards slip.” Instead of outlining specific policies, her campaign focused on bringing the party back to its “first principles.”

Attention now turns to Badenoch’s team choices in the days ahead, which will shape her party’s future direction. She extended praise to Jenrick despite the at times tense campaign and hinted at a potential senior role for him, saying, “you have a key role in our party for years to come.”

Having become an MP in 2017 after a career in banking and IT, Badenoch has indicated she would offer roles to all leadership candidates from the July race. However, shadow home secretary James Cleverly, who finished third, has declined any position.