Ever since Boris Johnson was forced out of office in July, the country has been waiting for a new leader of the Conservative party and therefore a new PM to be elected. After weeks of campaigning between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, a winner has finally been declared. On Monday September 5, Liz Truss was announced as the new Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative party with 57.4 % of the vote.
As her name was read out in front of her fellow Conservative MPs, Ms Truss now becomes only the third woman Prime Minister in the history of the UK. And she becomes the 15th Prime Minister in the long reign of the Queen.
In the short acceptance speech that she gave, she said that she had campaigned as a Conservative and intends to govern like one. She was met with cheers from the audience.
Who is the new Prime Minister?
The Conservative party has spoken and has chosen Truss as new leader of their party. However, Ms Truss is a rather unknown politician. Liz Truss is the member of parliament for South West Norfolk. She was also the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Furthermore, Britain’s soon to be new PM was also appointed Minister for Women and Equalities. This office was created under Tony Blair in 1997. It is responsible for addressing all forms of discrimination and has a particular focus on gender inequality.
She came into politics in 2010. That was the year she was first elected as an MP for South West Norfolk. Her first ministerial post came in 2012 as she was appointed Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education.
What does she intend on doing?
Ms Truss comes into one of the hardest jobs in the country at on of the hardest times. Just as the country is leaving the COVID-19 crisis behind, it has to battle with the rising cost of living and the cost of the energy. Therefore, much of her campaign was based on what is going on in the UK.
That was clear at the start of the campaign and it was clear in her acceptance speech around lunch time.
She wants to cut taxes. Something that she has been highly criticised on. However she believes in giving back to the people not taking more money away from them. In her plans she was also adamant on helping people with their bills. In a recent interview she said that she would take ‘immediate’ action on the cost of living.
People are turning towards a new leader that will help them in these difficult times. As well as helping people with their bills, Truss said she would deliver on the NHS.
The new Prime Minister thrown in the deep end
The cost of living has seen an exponential rise since the start of the war in Ukraine. Many households are clamouring for help. Furthermore, the Conservative party is not in a much better state. Truss is expected to unite the Conservative party. Indeed, she hopes that the next two years are only the start of her mandate as Prime Minister. Elections should be held in 2024.
Truss is yet to prove her worth. However, she will be thrown in the deep end straight away. As newspapers around the UK have said, she is not going to have a honeymoon period.
Indeed, as the Queen will accept Mr Johnson’s resignation she will invite Truss to form a new government in her name as soon as tomorrow.
She will then make a speech outside 10 Downing Street and, on Wednesday, she will face the House of Commons and Keir Starmer during PMQ’s.
