Great Britain New Tory leader makes Patel shadow foreign secretary

In the UK, former Home Secretary Priti Patel has returned to the forefront of her Conservative Party. The new party leader Kemi Badenoch appointed Patel, who is known as a hardliner, as Foreign Secretary in her shadow cabinet.

The 52-year-old had also applied for the top job, but was unsuccessful in the first round of voting.

With Robert Jenrick, Badenoch has also brought in her strongest opponent, as several British media reported. The former Secretary of State for Migration came second in the party's internal vote and is now to join the shadow cabinet as Justice Minister. Commentators see this as Badenoch's attempt to unite the party after a sometimes tough election campaign.

This is also supported by the appointment of Mel Stride, who also ran unsuccessfully for the top job, as Shadow Finance Minister. The former employment minister is seen as a representative of the moderate wing of the party, while the new Tory leader is seen as belonging to the right wing.

In the UK, the strongest opposition party traditionally appoints a shadow cabinet that mirrors the work of the government: "His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition". Badenoch is therefore also leader of the opposition. Further appointments are expected in the coming days.

Former Home Secretary James Cleverly, who surprisingly resigned early in the party's internal election, does not want to take up a post.

The Tories suffered a historic defeat in the general election at the beginning of July and now only have 121 of the 650 MPs in the House of Commons in London.

SDA