Liz Truss Elected as New Conservative Party Leader, to Become Britain’s Prime Minister
Liz Truss has been elected as the Conservative Party’s new leader, the party announced Monday, and she will take office Tuesday as Britain’s new prime minister to steer the country through an acute cost-of-living crisis.
Election Details
The 47-year-old Truss, who is currently foreign secretary, beat former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak after a leadership contest in which only about 170,000 dues-paying members of the Conservative Party were allowed to vote. Truss received 81,326 votes, compared with Sunak’s 60,399.
Challenges Ahead
She faces immediate pressure to deliver on her promises to tackle the cost-of-living crisis walloping the U.K. and an economy heading into a potentially lengthy recession.
Appointment Ceremony
Queen Elizabeth II is scheduled to formally appoint Truss as Britain’s prime minister on Tuesday. The ceremony will take place at the queen’s Balmoral estate in Scotland, where the monarch is spending her summer, rather than Buckingham Palace in London.
Economic Challenges
The two-month leadership contest left Britain with a power vacuum at a time of growing discontent across the country amid spiraling energy and food costs. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made no major policy decisions since he announced he was stepping down on July 7, and officials insisted that measures to address the energy cost crisis would be deferred until his successor is in place.
Strike and Inflation
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of workers have gone on strike to demand better pay to keep up with relentlessly rising costs. Inflation is above 10% for the first time since the 1980s, and the Bank of England has forecast that will reach a 42-year high of 13.3% in October. That’s largely driven by soaring energy bills, which will jump 80% for the average household starting next month.
Truss’s Plan
“I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy. I will deliver on the energy crisis, dealing with people’s energy bills, but also dealing with the long-term issues we have on energy supply,” Truss told party members after she was elected.
International Challenges
While the economy is certain to dominate the first months of the new premier’s term, Truss will also have to steer the U.K. on the international stage in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine, an increasingly assertive China, and ongoing tensions with the European Union over the aftermath of Brexit — especially in Northern Ireland.
Conclusion
Truss will be the U.K.’s fourth Conservative prime minister in six years, entering Downing Street following Johnson, Theresa May, and David Cameron. Her government will face numerous challenges, including the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and international tensions.
FAQs
Q: What is Liz Truss’s plan to address the cost-of-living crisis?
A: Truss has promised to deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow the economy, while also dealing with people’s energy bills and long-term energy supply issues.
Q: What are the challenges facing Truss’s government?
A: The government will face numerous challenges, including the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and international tensions, particularly in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s assertiveness, and Brexit.
Q: Will a new general election be held?
A: Under Britain’s parliamentary system, a new general election isn’t required until December 2024, as the Conservative Party was allowed to hold an internal election to select a new party leader and prime minister without going to the wider electorate.
Q: How many votes did Truss receive in the leadership contest?
A: Truss received 81,326 votes, compared with Sunak’s 60,399.