Kemi Badenoch Begins Appointments as New Conservative Leader

New Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has initiated her first appointments for her senior team ahead of the upcoming shadow cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Key Appointments

Badenoch has appointed MP Nigel Huddleston and Lord Dominic Johnson as joint chairmen of the Conservative Party, according to reports from the BBC. This decision replaces Richard Fuller, who had been serving as interim chairman following the party’s election defeat in July.

Additionally, on Sunday evening, Dame Rebecca Harris, MP for Castle Point, was designated as the Tory chief whip. Badenoch emerged victorious in the Conservative Party leadership election held on Saturday, defeating Robert Jenrick for the position.

Background of Appointees

Huddleston represents Droitwich and Evesham in the West Midlands and has previously worked with Badenoch when she served as business secretary. His most recent role was as a treasury minister.

Lord Johnson also served under Badenoch as a trade minister. He was appointed to the House of Lords by Liz Truss during her short term as prime minister and previously held the position of vice-chairman of the party under Theresa May from 2016 to 2019. Notably, he has contributed over £275,000 to Conservative causes in the past decade and co-founded Somerset Capital Management with former MP Jacob Rees-Mogg in 2007.

A complete announcement regarding the shadow cabinet is anticipated before its first meeting on Tuesday.

Vision for a Diverse Team

Badenoch has indicated that she plans to include her leadership rival, Jenrick, stating during her victory speech that he holds a “key role to play in our party for many years to come.” She emphasized her commitment to assembling a team that reflects diverse backgrounds and experiences:

“I want a shadow cabinet that is meritocratic, that brings in a diverse field of experience, geographic diversity, [and] professional experience.”

With the current Labour government boasting 120 ministers, the Conservatives face challenges in effectively shadowing all positions due to their total of only 121 MPs.

Several notable figures have opted out of serving in the shadow cabinet. Former Home Secretary James Cleverly expressed his desire not to return after years on the political front lines, stating he feels “liberated.” Similarly, former Environment Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed his return to backbenches over the weekend.

Badenoch’s leadership marks a significant moment in UK politics as she becomes the first black woman to lead a major political party in the country.