Kemi Badenoch’s first duty must be to provide an effective opposition

The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader of the Conservative Party is an intriguing moment. Not only have the members of the party finally disposed of the calumny that they would never elect a non-white candidate, but – given the options available to them – they have to some extent made up for their folly in electing Liz Truss the last time they were asked to vote.

Robert Jenrick’s rather unconvincing reinvention as a hardline anti-immigration candidate required him to adopt an unrealistic position on the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). While recognising that the European Court is an imperfect organisation, The Independent will have no truck with any politician who seeks to renounce a document drawn up by British lawyers after the trauma of world war that underpins the protection of fundamental rights across the continent.

Not only would withdrawal from the ECHR have been wrong in principle, it would not be the magic solution to the problem of irregular immigration – a point made with some courage by Ms Badenoch – and the policy would have plunged the Tory party into a prolonged civil war, because a large share, probably a majority, of its reduced contingent of MPs remain rightly committed to the ECHR.

Ms Badenoch thus hits the ground running as an effective leader of a reasonably united opposition. She has many of the qualities to make a good leader of the opposition. She is charismatic, a clear communicator and relishes a good argument. Her tendency to shoot from the hip and to become embroiled in personalised disputes are weaknesses, but we believe that she will do a good job in fulfilling her first duty, which is to hold the government to account. Her election strengthens our democracy because Sir Keir Starmer ought to be wary of her.

That said, the Conservatives have a long way to go to win back the trust of the British people. If their first service to democracy is to hold the Labour government to account, their second duty is to present a credible alternative government at the next election, so that the British people are given a meaningful choice.

Given the depths to which the Tory party fell by the time of the general election in July, it would be an extremely demanding target for it to offer a competitive alternative within a five-year parliament. It is to Ms Badenoch’s credit that she appears to realise the scale of the task, speaking in her acceptance speech of the “huge job” facing her and her party.

The Independent has argued consistently that it would be a mistake for the Conservatives to chase after Reform UK voters by trying to out-Farage Nigel Farage. That was what Mr Jenrick seemed to be trying to do. Ms Badenoch, although she remains an unapologetic Thatcherite right-winger, refused to do that and has remained a pragmatist – as was the real Margaret Thatcher, as opposed to the mythical figure bearing her name who was largely invented after her fall.

Ms Badenoch seems to understand that the way to win back not just Reform voters but defectors to the Liberal Democrats and indeed straight switchers to Labour is to offer a credible model of competence. This would include the competent management of immigration, the issue that most concerns Mr Farage’s supporters, who thought they were voting to leave the European Union in order to have lower immigration and who feel betrayed by Boris Johnson’s liberal borders policy.

But the Conservatives have to offer competence across the board, including in running the public services. Given their record in government, persuading the voters that they deserve another chance in four or five years’ time is, as Ms Badenoch said, a “huge job”.

Still, the Conservative members took a small step in the right direction this week.