Kemi Badenoch - pros and cons

She's female. That's the first reason I knew she'd win. The fact she's black is a cherry on top. And I mean in terms of Tory thinking, NOT how I view her.

In the past few years, when The Tories are in a tricky situation and need a new leader to do unpopular heavy lifting, they vote in a leader who basically won't be in the general election, who has time to run the show and will be discarded, before the white man comes in for the "proper" role. So I wish her well but I would be surprised if she makes it to the next election. She's merely clearing the way for the next white male leader, possibly Boris, possibly someone else. Doesn't matter really, point is that next election, it'll not be her standing for PM, it'll be a pale and stale dude - UNLESS the Tories believe they'll lose.

I think she's only a caretaker leader until they regroup in the same way William Hague was. IDS and Michael Howard too.

Both parties are really lacking in political heavy weights, but the Conservatives in particular, since Boris cleaned it anyone who disagreed with him.

I've no thought one way or the other about KB as I doubt she, or any of the leader contenders, will ever get to be PM. I may eat those words if she is successful at rebuilding the party, but they're is a mountain to climb and they have been especially good at shooting themselves in the foot.

Like what? Genuinely interested.

I like that she’s blunt and direct. I think we have spent a very long time being “managed”, politics has become very much about not upsetting the electorate and being spoken to like you are a toddler.

Very few politicians seem to have the confidence to just say what they think. I do think thats refreshing. I don’t have to agree with her to appreciate that she seems to be just frank really. Thats a change right there.

I disagree about the populist thing, Jenrick was talking about leaving the ECHR and she declined to support that on the basis that she doesn’t know if thats needed or not. Also just because it looks iffy to someone else doesn’t mean it’s not a genuinely held belief.

I am very pro her leadership. I believe it will be a disaster for the Tories. Her mask is slipping and I look forward to more divisive comments.

Pros:
First black woman to lead a UK party.
More fury and fireworks in the continuing saga of Tory self destruction. Who doesn't love a bit of drama, right?

Dawn Butler wrote and then deleted a post describing her win as a “victory for racism”.

Poor old Labour with its endless succession of white male leaders and cabinet ministers. David Lammy (the chump) is unassailable.

Well, the DT has reported that a Labour MP has called her “white supremacy in blackface” which strikes me as a disgustingly divisive things for anyone to say, let alone an MP.

Pro: paltry threat to Labour who must be laughing up their sleeves it wasn’t Cleverly (who is keeping himself clean for the next go-round).

She is a populist. So will say anything that resonate with the Daily Mail,or GB news gullible followers that resonates with their small world views