Truss Trounces Rishi Sunak, to be Next UK PM

LONDON, (IANS) – UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was on September 5 announced the victor of the contest for the Conservative Party leader, defeating former Chancellor of Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and paving the way for her to become the next Prime Minister.

Truss, who succeeds Boris Johnson, will be the third woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, all from her Conservative Party.

Announcing the results, 1922 Committee chief, Sir Graham Brady said Truss won 81,326 votes, or over 57 percent, compared to Sunak’s 60,399 votes.

There was a turnout of 82.6 percent of the over 170,000 registered party voters, he added.

In her brief address on the occasion, Truss thanked the party for “organizing one of the longest job interviews in history”, as well as her supporters.

She praised her rivals, particularly Sunak, saying that the campaign was “hard-fought” and showed “the depth and breadth of talent” in the party.

Truss pledged to follow through on her promises to voters, saying the Tory party needs to show it can deliver over the next two years, and that she has a “bold plan” to cut taxes and grow the UK economy.

On the rising energy bills, she says she will “deliver” when it comes to the crisis by not only dealing with bills but also the long-term supply issues.