New U.K. Opposition leader picks Priti Patel as her shadow Foreign Secretary

Former British Indian home secretary Priti Patel has been appointed shadow foreign secretary to the Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch, who replaced Rishi Sunak and became the Conservative leader. The shadow foreign secretary will join the opposition benches in the House.

Indian-origin Priti Patel was among the initial contenders in the contest to succeed Rishi Sunak as the leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition. With Robert Jenrick and Mel Stride appointed as shadow justice secretary and shadow chancellor, respectively, Badenoch’s choices for her frontbench are viewed as efforts to bring unity to a fractured Conservative Party.

"Congratulations to Kemi Badenoch on her election as leader of our great Party," posted Patel on X over the weekend after the election result was declared.

"Let's all unite behind her to renew and earn back the trust of the British people. I look forward to supporting her in holding this dishonest and self-serving Labour government to account and in putting forward a Conservative vision for the future of our great county," she said.