Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

The Guardian - UK

Politics

Eleni Courea Political correspondent

Who is the new Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch? That depends on your perspective

Kemi Badenoch Sir Keir Starmer Boris Johnson

Kemi Badenoch photographed outdoors wearing a dark blue coat with tied belt; she is walking in bright but wintry sunlight past a stone building with blurred people moving behind her — Kemi Badenoch is ‘not part of any gang’, said one friend – who went on to say that she ‘loses friends all the time’. Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

This weekend Kemi Badenoch became the first black woman to lead a UK party and the fourth woman to lead the Conservatives. But behind those labels – which she hates being identified with – who is she?

Born in Wimbledon, raised in Nigeria and trained in computer systems engineering, Badenoch was elected as a Conservative MP in 2017. She was given her first ministerial role by Boris Johnson in 2019, and in 2022 was promoted to cabinet by Liz Truss as the international trade secretary.

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

‘France is burning’: Riots, looting and blazing city halls as violent protests engulf French cities | In videos

‘France is burning’: Riots, looting and blazing city halls as violent protests engulf French cities | In videos

France witnessed widespread destruction, looting and clashes with police as nationwide protests over the rising cost of living and poor conditions in schools escalated into violence, leaving businesses damaged and public buildings in flames. President Emmanuel Macron has vowed legal action against rioters while announcing measures to address public grievances.

The Times of India

Indiana Measles Cases Reach 45 as Adams County Cases Double and Wayne County Remains the Largest Cluster

Indiana Measles Cases Reach 45 as Adams County Cases Double and Wayne County Remains the Largest Cluster

Indiana now has 45 measles cases, with Adams County doubling to eight and Wayne County at 14. See the county breakdown, who is getting sick, and what to do after exposure.

Kyle Larson reacts as points lead completely vanishes in costly Phoenix wreck

Kyle Larson reacts as points lead completely vanishes in costly Phoenix wreck

Larson suffered a cut tire that led to a heavy impact with the wall and race-ending damage for the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion

Those Who Destroyed Must Pay: Macron vows strict action after deadly unrest

Those Who Destroyed Must Pay: Macron vows strict action after deadly unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed strict action against those involved in rioting and looting across the country, declaring that anyone who sought to undermine the Republic would be held accountable. His remarks came after nationwide protests against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services descended into some…

The Times of India

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Mom Who Drove Through Youth Soccer Game, Leaving 2 People Lifeless, Is Released Without Charges

Mom Who Drove Through Youth Soccer Game, Leaving 2 People Lifeless, Is Released Without Charges

A 34-year-old Kansas mother was released without charges after her pickup truck drove onto a crowded youth soccer field in Wichita, slaying a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man.

Tyler Reddick wins Phoenix NASCAR Cup thriller as Kyle Larson crashes

Tyler Reddick wins Phoenix NASCAR Cup thriller as Kyle Larson crashes

Reddick scored his sixth win of 2026 while Larson’s late tire failure dramatically tightened the championship fight

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

‘France is burning’: Riots, looting and blazing city halls as violent protests engulf French cities | In videos

‘France is burning’: Riots, looting and blazing city halls as violent protests engulf French cities | In videos

France witnessed widespread destruction, looting and clashes with police as nationwide protests over the rising cost of living and poor conditions in schools escalated into violence, leaving businesses damaged and public buildings in flames. President Emmanuel Macron has vowed legal action against rioters while announcing measures to address public grievances.

The Times of India

Indiana Measles Cases Reach 45 as Adams County Cases Double and Wayne County Remains the Largest Cluster

Indiana Measles Cases Reach 45 as Adams County Cases Double and Wayne County Remains the Largest Cluster

Indiana now has 45 measles cases, with Adams County doubling to eight and Wayne County at 14. See the county breakdown, who is getting sick, and what to do after exposure.

Kyle Larson reacts as points lead completely vanishes in costly Phoenix wreck

Kyle Larson reacts as points lead completely vanishes in costly Phoenix wreck

Larson suffered a cut tire that led to a heavy impact with the wall and race-ending damage for the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion

Those Who Destroyed Must Pay: Macron vows strict action after deadly unrest

Those Who Destroyed Must Pay: Macron vows strict action after deadly unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed strict action against those involved in rioting and looting across the country, declaring that anyone who sought to undermine the Republic would be held accountable. His remarks came after nationwide protests against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services descended into some…

The Times of India

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Mom Who Drove Through Youth Soccer Game, Leaving 2 People Lifeless, Is Released Without Charges

Mom Who Drove Through Youth Soccer Game, Leaving 2 People Lifeless, Is Released Without Charges

A 34-year-old Kansas mother was released without charges after her pickup truck drove onto a crowded youth soccer field in Wichita, slaying a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man.

Tyler Reddick wins Phoenix NASCAR Cup thriller as Kyle Larson crashes

Tyler Reddick wins Phoenix NASCAR Cup thriller as Kyle Larson crashes

Reddick scored his sixth win of 2026 while Larson’s late tire failure dramatically tightened the championship fight

Our Picks

Woman compares an $85 men’s sweater at Abercrombie to a women’s version. Then she reveals the fabric difference: ‘This is blasphemy’

The price is the same; the materials are not

We Got This Covered

Lost Eloise portrait found in dumpster sells for $100,000 after decades in closet

In a fascinating twist of fate, Eloise's original portrait, crafted by Hilary Knight in 1956, mysteriously disappeared during a Junior League Ball in 1960. Rediscovered in a dumpster, it lay dormant in Knight's closet for years, only to be brought back to life at a 2017 exhibition at the New-York…

The Times of India

Kim Kardashian Is 'Technically More a Lawyer' Than Trump's Press Secretary, Jimmy Kimmel Says

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kim Kardashian discussed her legal studies as Kimmel joked about her qualifications compared with departing White House press secretary Katie Zacharia.

International Business Times UK

Picasso Plates Auction Sale: thrift find turns into $34,000 windfall; she saves one for later

While perusing a thrift store, Nancy Cavaliere stumbled upon four ceramic plates attributed to Pablo Picasso, each priced at just $1.99. After authenticating them through an auction house, she struck gold with a December 2022 sale where three plates fetched a remarkable $34,000. The plates are part of Picasso's Visage…

The Times of India

‘A key artist in her own right’: wallpaper and fabrics designer emerges from William Morris’s shadow

Creativity and influence of Morris & Co designer Kate Faulkner to be detailed in Cambridge exhibition

The Guardian - UK

Mark Cuban is worth $10 billion—but in college, he paid for junior year with a dorm-room chain letter he admits was ‘basically a scam’

Cuban, who grew up in a working-class family, says his early hustles laid the groundwork for a career that took him from a crowded Dallas apartment to billionaire status.

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play