Rishi Sunak will become the United Kingdom's next prime minister, after winning the race to become leader of the ruling Conservative Party. He will be Britain's third prime minister in a matter of weeks..This comes just days after Liz Truss stepped down as leader following public backlash to her government's mini-budget. The policies outlined in Truss' budget roiled British markets and sunk the value of the country's pound, leading to internal party dissension, cabinet departures, and several backbenchers expressing a lack of confidence in her as leader..Sunak was the only candidate with confirmed support from more than 100 lawmakers, which was the number needed to run in the election. Supporters of Sunak claim he has been endorsed by more than half of the 357 Conservative lawmakers in Parliament..Sunak, who was the former Treasury chief under Boris Johnson, will become Britain's first leader of colour, as well as the first Hindu to take the top job. He will also be the youngest British prime minister in more than 200 years, at just 42..Johnson quit the race for leader on Sunday night, ending an attempted return to the prime minister's job he was ousted from three months ago. Johnson had spent the weekend trying to gain support from Conservative lawmakers after returning from a Caribbean vacation..By late Sunday, Johnson said he gathered the support of 102 colleagues, but he was far behind Sunak. He concluded, "you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.".Sunak helped bring down the Johnson government in the summer, then lost to Truss in the last Conservative election..As Treasury chief, Sunak lead Britain through the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving praise for the financial support he lent to laid-off workers and closed-down businesses. But having worked as hedge fund manager for the investment bank Goldman Sachs, some criticized him as being out of touch with the plight of ordinary Brits..Sunak promised to lead with "integrity, professionalism and accountability" if he forms a government.
Rishi Sunak will become the United Kingdom's next prime minister, after winning the race to become leader of the ruling Conservative Party. He will be Britain's third prime minister in a matter of weeks..This comes just days after Liz Truss stepped down as leader following public backlash to her government's mini-budget. The policies outlined in Truss' budget roiled British markets and sunk the value of the country's pound, leading to internal party dissension, cabinet departures, and several backbenchers expressing a lack of confidence in her as leader..Sunak was the only candidate with confirmed support from more than 100 lawmakers, which was the number needed to run in the election. Supporters of Sunak claim he has been endorsed by more than half of the 357 Conservative lawmakers in Parliament..Sunak, who was the former Treasury chief under Boris Johnson, will become Britain's first leader of colour, as well as the first Hindu to take the top job. He will also be the youngest British prime minister in more than 200 years, at just 42..Johnson quit the race for leader on Sunday night, ending an attempted return to the prime minister's job he was ousted from three months ago. Johnson had spent the weekend trying to gain support from Conservative lawmakers after returning from a Caribbean vacation..By late Sunday, Johnson said he gathered the support of 102 colleagues, but he was far behind Sunak. He concluded, "you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.".Sunak helped bring down the Johnson government in the summer, then lost to Truss in the last Conservative election..As Treasury chief, Sunak lead Britain through the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving praise for the financial support he lent to laid-off workers and closed-down businesses. But having worked as hedge fund manager for the investment bank Goldman Sachs, some criticized him as being out of touch with the plight of ordinary Brits..Sunak promised to lead with "integrity, professionalism and accountability" if he forms a government.
