By Hamed Chapman
London, (The Muslim News): Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, is set to become the fourth Tory prime minister in six years after being elected Monday as Conservative party leader by rank and file members, beating former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, by 81,326 votes to 60,399 to replace Boris Johnson.
The victory, securing just 57 per cent support from nearly 142,000 votes cast after an intense six weeks’ campaign, is much smaller than expected and represents the smallest majority in any run-off election since the current system was introduced by the party over 20 years ago.
In a brief speech at a conference centre in Westminster, Truss insisted that Tory beliefs “in freedom, in the ability to control your own life, in low taxes, in personal responsibility” resonate with the British people and pledged to deliver what the party promised voters at the last general election in 2019.
“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,” she also said in reference to some of the many huge issues she faces at both home and abroad.
Johnson is due to fly to the Queen’s main Scottish residence at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, to formally tender his resignation on Tuesday after being forced out of office by a majority of his own government ministers in July. Truss will follow to be officially sworn in as Prime Minister by the British monarch.
Labour Leader, Sir Keir Starmer, congratulated the prime minister-elect but warned that “after 12 years of the Tories (in office) all we have to show for it is low wages, high prices, and a Tory cost of living crisis.”
Ed Davey, Leader of the Lib Dems, believed her premiership will bring similar “crisis and chaos” seen during Johnson’s tenure, saying that “from the cost of living emergency to the NHS crisis, the Conservatives have shown they don’t care, and have no plan.”
First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, called for an immediate freeze in energy bills for people and businesses, deliver more cash support in the cost-of-living crisis and for increase funding for public services, acknowledging she had “deep” differences with Truss.
[Photo: Conservative Party Leadership Announcement QEII Centre. Liz Truss speaking after announcement that she won the Leadership of the Conservative and Unionist Party on 5 September. Picture by Ben Stevens CCHQ / Parsons Media]
