New leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch says the countryside should not be treated as 'a hotel'
Kemi Badenoch has been named as the new leader of the Conservative Party beating rival Robert Jenrick by 12,418 votes.
The former Business Secretary said although there was a ‘huge job' to be done, she was ready to ‘renew' the party following its election defeat last summer.
"It is the most enormous honour to be elected in this role, to lead the party that I love, the party that has given me so much. I hope that I will be able to repay that debt," Ms Badenoch said.
"The task that stands before us is tough but simple. Our first responsibility as His Majesty's loyal Opposition is to hold this Labour Government to account.
"Our second is no less important. It is to prepare over the course of the next few years for government, to ensure that by the time of the next election, we have not just a clear set of Conservative pledges that appeal to the British people, but a clear plan for how to implement them, a clear plan to change this country by changing the way that government works.
"That huge job begins today."
READ NOW: Autumn Budget - What do farmers need to think about?
In a statement to the Countryside Alliance ahead of her victory, the MP for West Essex set out her views on rural matters, saying the countryside, contrary to many views in Whitehall ‘is not just a hotel'.
"Our countryside is a national treasure, admired both here and around the world. But it is not just a hotel, it is a place of home and work for millions. This is a fact that all too often Whitehall forgets.
"I am very proud to be an MP for a beautiful rural constituency in Essex and I am a supporter of the rural way of life; something I have fought to protect."
Ms Badenoch, who served as a Cabinet Minister under both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak said she was sympathetic to the needs of farmers who have had to, ‘defend themselves from campaigns of misinformation and bizarre drives to ban meat and dairy, they routinely face unnecessary barriers to food production while also trying to help the environment.'
LISTEN NOW: Farmers Guardian Podcast - How will the Autumn Budget impact agriculture?
She said: "As Business Secretary I worked with my counterparts in Defra to reduce such barriers and protect the interests of British farmers and consumers. I am also a great advocate for local, rural businesses.
"Furthermore, while this Labour government subsidises landowners to build massive solar farms over farmland and presses ahead with a complex web of pylons and cables across the countryside, I have defended our countryside and have called for a proper review into the costs and approach of hitting our Net Zero target.
"It is the people in the countryside who know the land best, and so it is you whom I want to hear from on how we protect the countryside rather than receiving policy papers from those straight out of university living in the city," she added.
Meanwhile, just 30 minutes before the result was announced Shadow Defra Secretary Steve Barclay announced he would be stepping down from the Conservative front bench.
The former Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs took to social media to explain his decision, saying he wanted more time to be ‘a dad'.
I want to congratulate Kemi and Rob on their excellent campaigns over recent months.
— Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) November 2, 2024
After 9 years on the front bench, including the last 6 in the Cabinet, I have decided to return to the backbenches away from the constraints of front bench life and to have more time as a dad.
He concluded by saying he would give his full support to the new leader and will 'continue to champion in the years ahead the values of personal freedom, economic liberty and greater opportunity that make our Party so special.'
