Kemi Badenoch has executed her inaugural senior appointment as the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party.
It is reported that Dame Rebecca Harris, Member of Parliament for Castle Point in Essex, will assume the role of the party’s chief whip, succeeding Stuart Andrew.
Mr. Andrew posted on the X social media platform: “It has been a true honor and privilege to serve as the Chief Whip for the Conservative Party.
“She [Harris] is an excellent colleague and an outstanding whip. I extend my best wishes to her in this position.”
Dame Rebecca will be tasked with upholding party discipline and endeavoring to ensure that MPs align their votes with Ms. Badenoch’s preferences.
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The 56-year-old has represented Castle Point since May 2010 and was a proponent of the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
She also held the position of Comptroller of the Household from 2022 to 2024—a historic and largely ceremonial role assigned to a government whip.
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Kemi Badenoch, right, with Robert Jenrick post her win in the Tory leadership contest. Pic: PA
The 44-year-old Member for North West Essex is anticipated to announce the appointments for her shadow cabinet prior to Tuesday.
While she has yet to declare her top team, she indicated a desire for those who contested against her in the leadership race to play a part.
In contrast, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly disclosed the day before the election results that he would not be part of Ms. Badenoch’s senior team.
He will return to the backbenches along with former Prime Minister Mr. Sunak, ex- Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden, former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and ex-Secretaries of State for Brexit, health, and environment, Steve Barclay.
Following her election as party leader, Ms. Badenoch expressed to the BBC that the partygate controversy was “overstated” and argued that the government should not have penalized individuals for “routine activities” during the lockdown period.
