Liz Truss, 47, was named Britain’s next prime minister and leader of the governing Conservative Party on Monday (Sep 5), taking power at a time when the country faces a cost-of-living crisis, industrial unrest and a recession.
She garnered 81,326 votes compared to former finance minister Rishi Sunak’s 60,399.
After weeks of an often bad-tempered and divisive party leadership contest that pitted Truss against Sunak, Monday’s announcement will trigger the beginning of a handover from Boris Johnson, who was forced to announce his resignation in July after months of scandal.
Long the front-runner in the race to replace Johnson, Truss will become the Conservatives’ fourth prime minister since a 2015 election.
Truss has promised to act quickly to tackle Britain’s cost-of-living crisis, saying that within a week she will come up with a plan to tackle rising energy bills and secure future fuel supplies.
Truss will become the United Kingdom’s third female prime minister following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher.
She became foreign minister a year ago after holding a series of ministerial posts in departments including education, international trade and justice.
Her political journey began as a teenage member of the centrist Liberal Democrats before switching to the right-wing Conservatives.
In 2016, she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union but quickly switched allegiance when Britons backed Brexit.
Monday’s announcement will set in motion a chain of events.
On Tuesday, Johnson will deliver a farewell speech at Downing Street.
He will then formally tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, and she will appoint Truss as his successor in a so-called kissing of hands ceremony.
The next prime minister will be the 15th since the queen took the throne.
Liz Truss to be new British prime minister after winning party vote (channelnewsasia.com)