Editing Conservative Party (UK) (section)

==== 2022–2025: Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch ====
{{Main article|Premiership of Rishi Sunak}}
[[File:Portrait of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (cropped 2).jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Rishi Sunak]]]]
On 24 October 2022, Rishi Sunak was declared Leader, the first [[British Asian]] Leader of the Conservatives and the first British Asian Prime Minister. On 22 May Sunak announced a general election to be held on 4 July 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Landler |first=Mark |date=2024-05-22 |title=Sunak Announces U.K. Elections for July 4, Months Earlier Than Expected |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/europe/uk-election-sunak-politics.html |access-date=2024-05-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=22 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522224012/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/europe/uk-election-sunak-politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]], public opinion in favour of a change in government was reflected by poor polling from the Conservative Party, with [[Reform UK]] making strong polling gains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reform UK overtakes Conservatives in new poll in fresh blow for Rishi Sunak |url=https://news.sky.com/story/reform-uk-overtakes-conservatives-in-new-poll-in-fresh-blow-for-rishi-sunak-13150808 |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=13 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613195534/https://news.sky.com/story/reform-uk-overtakes-conservatives-in-new-poll-in-fresh-blow-for-rishi-sunak-13150808 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Conservative manifesto focused on the economy, taxes, welfare, expanding free childcare, education, healthcare, environment, energy, transport, and crime.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rishi Sunak: Tory manifesto will include tax cuts |date=10 June 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c722v3w66nwo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610181908/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c722v3w66nwo |archive-date=10 June 2024 |access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservative manifesto 2024: summary of the key policies |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/conservative-party-manifesto-key-policies-rishi-sunak-general-election-9zvjqvttp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611082242/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/conservative-party-manifesto-key-policies-rishi-sunak-general-election-9zvjqvttp |archive-date=11 June 2024 |access-date=11 June 2024 |website=thetimes.com |language=en}}</ref> It pledged to lower taxes, increase education and NHS spending, deliver 92,000 more nurses and 28,000 more doctors, introduce a new model of National Service, and to treble Britain's offshore wind capacity and support solar energy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gutteridge |first=Nick |date=17 May 2024 |title=Conservative Party manifesto 2024: Rishi Sunak's policies for the general election |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/0/tory-manifesto-rishi-sunak-policies-general-election/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611232213/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/0/tory-manifesto-rishi-sunak-policies-general-election/ |archive-date=11 June 2024 |access-date=12 June 2024 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=Rob |date=2024-05-25 |title=Sunak says he will bring back National Service if Tories win general election |url=https://news.sky.com/story/sunak-says-he-will-bring-back-national-service-if-tories-win-general-election-13143184 |access-date=2024-05-25 |archive-date=25 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525214109/https://news.sky.com/story/sunak-says-he-will-bring-back-national-service-if-tories-win-general-election-13143184 |url-status=live }}</ref> The final result was the lowest seat total at a general election in the history of the Conservative party, with well below the previous record low of 156 seats won at the [[1906 United Kingdom general election|1906 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Live results map of the UK general election |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f7c426b0-3fdd-40b0-9110-39a280ada513 |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=Financial Times |language=en-gb |archive-date=7 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240707073452/https://ig.ft.com/uk-general-election/2024/results/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Kemi Badenoch]] became party leader following Sunak's defeat and resignation.<ref name="z459">{{cite web |last=Lawless |first=Jill |date=2024-11-02 |title=UK Conservatives pick Kemi Badenoch as new leader, first Black woman to head a big British party |url=https://apnews.com/article/uk-conservative-party-new-leader-elected-b2300368b66deb930dce1d9068ba0770 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=AP News}}</ref>
<!--This section is meant to be just a summary. Please do not add too much detail&nbsp;– the "History of the Conservative Party (UK)" article is intended for detailed additions-->