Who is Kemi Badenoch? Meet Britain’s New Conservative Leader

Kemi Badenoch, the new leader of the Conservative Party, has been compared to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for her strong opinions and straightforward approach.

Badenoch has established herself as a prominent figure within the Conservative right, securing victory over Robert Jenrick with strong support from the party’s grassroots membership. Badenoch assumes leadership during a challenging period following the Conservative Party’s electoral setback. As a former business secretary, she has articulated a clear diagnosis of the party’s struggles, asserting that the Conservatives must distinguish themselves more clearly from Labour policies.

Her leadership campaign centered on transforming the fundamental approach of British governance and reflected her conviction that substantial change is necessary. Born in Wimbledon in 1980 to Nigerian parents—her father a general practitioner and her mother a professor of physiology—Badenoch’s early years were spent between Lagos, Nigeria, and the United States. At sixteen, she returned to Britain amid political turbulence in Nigeria and demonstrating resilience by supporting herself through various jobs, including work at McDonald’s while pursuing her A-levels.

Badenoch’s intellectual foundation was laid at Sussex University, where she earned a degree in computer engineering and developed her conservative political outlook—a perspective she attributes to her reaction against what she perceived as a predominantly left-wing campus environment. Her professional trajectory included earning a law degree and establishing herself in the financial sector at Coutts private bank, followed by a role as digital director at The Spectator magazine.

Since her election as MP for Saffron Walden in 2017, Badenoch’s political career has been marked by rapid advancement. Her ministerial portfolio has included significant positions such as Secretary of State for Business and Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities. Her leadership style, characterized by directness and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, has garnered both admirers and critics within political circles.