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Homeeurope politicsLiz Truss to become Britain's next prime minister, replacing Boris Johnson

Liz Truss to become Britain’s next prime minister, replacing Boris Johnson

  • After a drawn-out Conservative leadership contest, the country's ruling party now has a new leader.
  • Liz Truss, until now the U.K.'s foreign minister, beat rival Rishi Sunak, the country's former finance minister, to win the leadership race on Monday.
  • Truss does not automatically become prime minister on Monday as ritual dictates that the outgoing prime minister first has to tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.

The U.K.'s next prime Minister Liz TrussDan Kitwood | Getty Images News | Getty Images

LONDON — After a drawn-out contest, the country's ruling Conservative Party on Monday picked Liz Truss to be its new leader and the U.K.'s new prime minister.

Truss, until now the U.K.'s foreign minister, beat rival Rishi Sunak, the country's former finance minister, to win the leadership race. With members of the Conservative Party asked to vote for their favorite candidate over the last few weeks, 81,326 members voted for Truss while 60,399 members voted for Sunak.

Turnout was 82.6% and, roughly, Truss has taken around 57% of the vote while Sunak achieved 42% of the vote.

Truss took to the stage to thank her supporters and ostensibly mentioned Boris Johnson, her "friend." Saying she will govern as a Conservative, Truss said she intended to deliver "what we promised voters in 2019" and said she would push a "bold plan to cut taxes" and grow the British economy. She said she will deal with long-term issues regarding the country's energy supply too. Truss told delegates that she would deliver a victory for the party at the next election that's expected in 2024.

Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated his ally Liz Truss on what he called her "decisive" win and said she had the "right plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, unite our party and continue the great work of uniting and levelling up our country. Now is the time for all Conservatives to get behind her 100 per cent." That sentiment was echoed by defeated candidate leadership Rishi Sunak.

The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, tweeted his congratulations to Truss but said that "after 12 years of the Tories all we have to show for it is low wages, high prices, and a Tory cost of living crisis. Only Labour can deliver the fresh start our country needs."

Truss does not automatically become prime minister on Monday as ritual dictates that the outgoing prime minister (in this case Boris Johnson) first has to tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, who then appoints Truss.

As the queen is currently staying in her Scottish residence Balmoral Castle, that event will take place there rather than in Buckingham Palace in London as the 96-year-old monarch experiences continuing mobility issues.

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