Liz Truss succeeds Johnson as new UK Prime Minister

The ruling Conservative Party has announced former Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as new party leader and United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister.

Trust defeated a former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak with majority votes from party members to succeed Boris Johnson who resigned recently as Prime Minister.

In a short victory speech at the announcement in a central London convention hall, Truss said it was an “honour” to be elected after undergoing “one of the longest job interviews in history”.

“I campaigned as a Conservative, and I will govern as a Conservative,” she said, touting Tory values of low taxes and personal responsibility.

Truss vowed a “bold plan” to address tax cuts and the energy crisis.

Truss, 47, will be only the UK’s third female prime minister following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher.

She will formally take office on Tuesday, after Johnson tenders his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.

The leadership contest began in July after Johnson announced his departure following a slew of scandals and resignations from his government, including Sunak’s.

Truss reserved a portion of her short speech to praising Johnson’s record, including on Brexit and the Covid pandemic, and said he was “admired from Kyiv to Carlisle”.