Kemi Badenoch said she will tell "hard truths" to both the country and her party as she began her first full day as Conservative leader. In her first interview since winning the Tory leadership election, Badenoch said the UK is getting poorer and older, and is being "outcompeted" by other countries.

Hamish Badenoch met Kemi when he was a Conservative activist in the Dulwich and West Norwood Tory association, which led to their friendship and his becoming her campaign manager. Hamish has been likened to Margaret Thatcher’s husband Denis who offered to give lifts to young Thatcher during her campaigns in the early 1950s.

Like her political heroine Margaret Thatcher, Kemi Badenoch - who has been elected leader of the Conservative Party - divides opinion even within her own party.

Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservative Party, defeating Robert Jenrick in the final round of voting.Badenoch, who was raised in Nigeria, is the first black woman to lead a major political party in the UK and takes over a Conservative Party reeling from its worst ever election defeat.

She would cross the road to bite your ankles, whether you were goading her or not!”This is a remark from a long term admirer of Kemi Badenoch, delighted to see her win the Conservative leadership contest.