The British Conservative Party has chosen Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as its new party leader, putting her in line to be confirmed as prime minister.
The choice of sash was announced on Monday after a leadership election in London in which only 180,000 Conservative Party members were allowed to vote. Truss defeated rival Rishi Sunak, the former head of the government’s Treasury, vowing to increase defense spending and cut taxes, but declined to say how he would handle the cost-of-living crisis.
Truss received 81,326 votes and Sunak received 60,399 votes.
Queen Elizabeth II will formally appoint Truss as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday. The ceremony will take place at the Queen’s estate in Balmoral, Scotland, where the monarch rests, rather than at Buckingham Palace.
The two-month leadership contest has left Britain with a power vacuum as consumers, workers and businesses demand government action to contain rising food and energy prices. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been barred from making major policy decisions since July 7, when he announced his resignation.
With household energy bills predicted to rise by 80% next month, charities are warning that one in three families will face fuel shortages this winter, leaving millions with the choice to eat or heat their homes. The Bank of England predicts inflation will hit a 42-year high of 13.3 percent in October, threatening Britain with a long-term recession.
“The new prime minister faces a very, very difficult legacy,” said Tim Bale, a political analyst and professor at Queen Mary University of London.
Johnson was forced to resign after a series of ethical scandals that peaked in July, when dozens of ministers and low-ranking officials resigned amid allegations of sexual abuse by a senior member of his government.
Under Britain’s parliamentary system of government, the centre-right Conservative Party has managed to hold internal elections to choose a new party leader and prime minister without going to the general electorate. A new general election is not required until December 2024.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
