Kemi Badenoch tells Tories 'it's time to get down to business' as she's elected leader

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Kemi Badenoch has said the Conservative Party task is “tough but simple” following her election as leader. She said the Tories had to hold the Government to account and develop a “clear plan” for government.

She added that the party had to be “honest” about the “fact we made mistakes” and “the fact that we let standards slip”. She said: “The time has come to tell the truth, to stand up for our principles, to plan our future, reset our politics and our thinking, and to give our party and our country the new start they deserve. “It’s time to get down to business, it’s time to renew.” READ MORE: Kemi Badenoch's victory speech in full as she becomes new Conservative Party leader The former business secretary was declared the winner at an event in central London on Saturday, defeating rival Robert Jenrick by 53,806 votes to 41,388.

She becomes the first black woman elected to lead a major British political party, and the fourth woman to lead the Conservative Party after Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss.

The North West Essex MP will replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Opposition and seek to chart a path back to power for the Tories after their disastrous election defeat in July.