Kemi Badenoch makes first senior appointment as Conservative leader

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Kemi Badenoch has made her first senior appointment as the new Conservative Party leader.

It is understood that Dame Rebecca Harris, MP for the Essex constituency of Castle Point, will be the party’s chief whip – replacing Stuart Andrew.

Mr Andrew wrote on the X social media platform: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Conservative Party Chief Whip.

“She [Harris] is a great friend and a brilliant whip. I wish her all the best in the role.”

Dame Rebecca’s role as chief whip will require her to maintain party discipline and to try and ensure MPs vote as Ms Badenoch would like them to.

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The 56-year-old has been the MP for Castle Point since May 2010 and supported the Leave campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum.

She was also Comptroller of the Household between 2022 and 2024 – an ancient and largely ceremonial role handed to a government whip.

Her appointment comes a day after Ms Badenoch beat Robert Jenrick to replace Rishi Sunak as the party’s leader.

The 44-year-old North West Essex MP is expected to appoint the members of her shadow cabinet before Tuesday.

She did not immediately announce who would make up her top team, but suggested all of those who ran against her in the leadership race should be involved.

However, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly revealed the day before the result that he would not be joining Ms Badenoch’s top team.

He will return to the backbenches along with former prime minister Mr Sunak, former deputy prime minister Sir Oliver Dowden, ex-chancellor Jeremy Hunt and former Brexit, health, and environment secretary, Steve Barclay.

In an interview after becoming party leader, Ms Badenoch told the BBC the partygate scandal was “overblown” and the government should not have fined people for “everyday activities” during lockdown.

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