Jason Kenney speaking following the announcement of the UCP leadership review vote on May 18, 2022. (Photo: United Conservative Party)

By David Opinko

BREAKING: Jason Kenney resigns as UCP leader

May 18, 2022 | 6:46 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Despite winning a slight majority of votes in the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership review vote, Jason Kenney will no longer be the leader of the governing party.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2022, ballots were counted for the vote.

The question asked to party members was, “Do you approve of the current leader?”

A total of 34,298 votes were cast.

The party announced that 51.4% of voters, or 17,638, voted “yes”, while 48.6% voted “no.”

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Kenney said, while more than half of the votes were in his favour, 51.4% does not constitute a clear mandate.

He announced that he is stepping down as UCP leader and that a new leadership race will be called.

“I’m sorry, but friends, I truly believe that we need to move forward united, we need to put the past behind us. A large number of our members have asked for an opportunity to clear the air through a leadership election,” Kenney said.

Kenney went on to state that the past two years have been incredibly difficult for him and for Albertans.

“As disappointing as this result is for me, I’m incredibly proud of the work that this team has done. Together, we reunited the free enterprise movement in Alberta politics and we won the largest electoral mandate in our province’s history. We inherited profound fiscal and economic challenges and then we went through three once-in-a-century crises – the largest public health crisis in a century, the largest collapse of the world economy in nearly a century, and the first time we’ve ever experienced negative oil prices.”

Kenney thanked his colleagues and supporters for all that they have done for him, the UCP, and for Albertans.

No announcements have been made at this time as to the timelines for a new UCP leadership race.