[SideburnsOfDoom]

> If the membership actually got to choose who ran the party then we'd most likely have had the first female black PM of the country (Kemi Badenoch)

Doubtful. Colour me very very sceptical, for the simple reason that her political positions are quite extreme, even in the party that she finds herself in. I'm not saying that there's no "base" for that in that party, just 1) not a majority and 2) these are also mostly people who are ... shall we say, not "progressive" enough to be enthused by the thought of a "female black PM".

[fidgewidge]

She was easily winning polls of the members. The idea that conservatives are racist is a left wing slur, not reality. She lost because she is too conservative for the Tory MPs, who are well to the left of the party membership.

https://conservativehome.com/2022/07/16/our-next-tory-leader...