Kemi Badenoch Becomes New Leader of the U.K. Conservatives, the First Black Woman to Head a Major British Party

TIME

Britain’s Conservative Party on Saturday elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound from a crushing election defeat that ended 14 years in power.

Transcript

00:00The task that stands before us is tough but simple. Our first responsibility as

00:06His Majesty's loyal opposition is to hold this Labour government to account.

00:14Our second is no less important. It is to prepare over the course of the next few years

00:21for government, to ensure that by the time of the next election we have not just a clear set

00:28of Conservative pledges that appeal to the British people, but a clear plan for how to implement

00:34them. A clear plan to change this country by changing the way that government works.

00:40The Prime Minister is discovering all too late the perils of not having such a plan.

00:46That huge job begins today. It will seek to involve all of our colleagues in Parliament,

00:53in the Scottish Parliament, the Senate, our friends in Northern Ireland, as well as councillors and

00:58party members. But this is not just about the Conservative Party. It is about the people we

01:04want to bring back to the Conservative Party. It is about the people we need to bring into

01:09the Conservative Party. It is about what the Conservative Party needs to be over the next 5,

01:1510 and 20 years. Our party is critical to the success of our country, but to be heard

01:22we have to be honest. Honest about the fact that we made mistakes. Honest about the fact

01:29that we let standards slip. The time has come to tell the truth. The time has come to tell the truth,

01:36to stand up for our principles, to plan for our future, to reset our politics and our thinking,

01:43and to give our party and our country the new start that they deserve. It is time to get down

01:49to business. It is time to renew. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Category

Transcript

Recommended