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BREAKING: Rishi Sunak Become UK’s New Prime Minister
Sunak is going to address Tory MPs at 2.30pm in the Commons
Rishi Sunak has been confirmed as the new Prime Minister of United Kingdom after his challenger, Penny Mordaunt pulled out of the contest.
The 42-year-old former U.K. treasury chief will be the country’s third prime minister in under two months, its youngest prime minister since 1812, and the first person of color to serve in the role. He is of Indian heritage and Hindu faith.
Sunak’s win on Monday came days after Truss’s resignation after her disastrous tax cuts plans and policy U-turns plunged the markets into chaos. The unprecedented economic crisis drew a rare intervention from the Bank of England.
Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, says he can confirm there has been one valid nomination, “and Rishi Sunak is therefore elected as leader of the Conservative party”.
He said Sunak is going to address Tory MPs at 2.30pm in the Commons. This will be the first time Sunak has spoken in public since Liz Truss resigned.
In pulling out of the contest, Mordaunt said “Our party is our membership. Whether we are elected representatives, activists, fundraisers or supporters, We all have a stake in who our leader is.
“These are unprecedented times. Despite the compressed timetable for the leadership contest, it is clear that colleagues feel we need certainty today. They have taken this decision in good faith for the good of the county.
“Members should known that this progression has been fairly and thoroughly trusted by the agreed 1922 process.
“As a result, we have now chosen our next Prime Minister. This decision is an historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party. Rishi has my full support.
“I am proud of the campaign we ran and grateful to all those across all sides of our party, who gave me their backing.
“We all owe it to the country, to each other and to Rishi to unite and work together for the good of the nation. There is much work to be done,” he said.