Liz Truss succeeds Boris Johnson as party leader and British Prime Minister

Liz Truss becomes the new leader of the British Conservative Party, succeeding Boris Johnson as prime minister of the United Kingdom. She managed to retain a majority of the party’s nearly 200,000 members.

Truss ‘ competitor, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, was defeated in the internal leadership election. He received 60,000 votes; Truss was voted for by 81,000 members, more than 57 percent of the total.

In a speech following the announcement of the results, Truss thanked, among others, the dissenting prime minister Johnson, whom she called a friend. She said, among other things, that he managed to get Brexit done, set up the vaccination campaign against corona and stood up to Russian president Putin.

“You are admired from Kiev to Carlisle,” said the future prime minister about her predecessor.

The 47-year-old Truss, who is now Foreign minister in the British interim cabinet, has been leading the polls for some time. She faces the difficult task of leading the United Kingdom through an economically difficult time. The country is plagued by skyrocketing inflation and tripled energy prices.

In the election campaign within her party, Truss has promised, among other things, to reverse the tax increases introduced by her rival Sunak. She also said she will come up with a plan within a week to curb rising energy prices.

In her victory speech, Truss reiterated that with “a bold plan” she wants to reduce taxes and grow the economy. She also promised to tackle people’s energy bills and look at energy supplies.

“I have campaigned as a conservative and I will also govern as a conservative,” she said.

Johnson is expected to officially offer his resignation to Queen Elizabeth tomorrow. Truss will become the third female prime minister of the United Kingdom after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

For the first time in history, this formal transfer does not take place at Buckingham Palace, but at the British monarch’s summer residence in Scotland. The health of 96-year-old Elizabeth is currently too weak to travel to London.


The author: Michel THEYS

Michel Theys, a Belgian native, began his career as a civil servant, serving the public for several decades. After retirement, he shifted gears to follow his passion for journalism. With a background in public administration, Theys brought a unique perspective to his reporting. His insightful articles, covering a wide array of topics, swiftly gained recognition. Today, Michel Theys is a respected journalist known for his balanced and thoughtful reporting in the Belgian media landscape.

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