Her positioning as a "culture warrior" is, to some, proof not of a changing Conservative party, but one with a new face for old instincts. We asked black and minority ethnic campaigners, public and political figures, what it means to have a black Tory leader.
"This doesn't represent change," Ros Griffiths, a Brixton-based Windrush campaigner, said Badenoch's was "an undeniable historic achievement, but we've got to look beyond that."
"I just don't think her leadership demonstrates any change in the reprehensible policies of the Conservative party.
"For 14 years, her party has done damage with their policies; and that's what I'm looking at. I won't be dancing in the streets.
"If she's committed towards dismantling the system that oppresses black and brown people in particular - then she might get my attention."
"We hope she will listen," Charles Kwaku-Odoi, from Manchester, CEO of the Caribbean and African Health Network, said Badenoch's success "is good news, because representation matters", and she could inspire.
He added: "The black community is not homogeneous; we can't just assume a black face around the table will necessarily represent the views of everyone.
"Our hope is that she will actively listen, study evidence and understand disparities black people face. In the black community there will be those who are privileged - it's also about understanding those privileges, compared with those who never feel their voice matters."
This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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