News/Commentary

UK names new prime minister to replace Boris Johnson: ‘I will govern as a conservative’

September 5, 2022 | | Print Article

Liz Truss has been named the leader of the Conservative Party and the United Kingdom’s next prime minister.

The former foreign secretary under Boris Johnson, Truss beat her opponent Rishi Sunak in a 57.4% to 42.6% vote and will inherit a country that is struggling under soaring energy prices and crippling inflation, The Hill reports.

“I am honored to be elected Leader of the Conservative Party,” Truss said following the Monday announcement.

“Thank you for putting your trust in me to lead and deliver for our great country,” she continued. “I will take bold action to get all of us through these tough times, grow our economy and unleash the United Kingdom’s potential.”


(Video: YouTube)

At a Tuesday ceremony at her Balmoral estate, Queen Elizabeth II will make the formal appointment.

In her acceptance speech, Truss emphasized her belief in “personal responsibility” and vowed to make good on her campaign promises and cut taxes to grow Britain’s economy.

“During this leadership campaign, I campaigned as a conservative, and I will govern as a conservative,” she stated.

She also addressed her nation’s energy crisis, which has seen the annual average household bills rocket 54 percent this year alone. According to The Hill, “consumers will see another hike in October that brings the gain to roughly 80 percent. ”

And while Americans are crying about climbing inflation here at home, the U.K. is drowning under a 40-year-high, 10.1 percent annual inflation rate.

“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,” Truss promised.

After Johnson’s resignation in July amid scandals and souring relations, the Conservative Party nominated eight candidates. The field was then narrowed to Truss and Sunak, who’d previously served as Britain’s finance minister and resigned days before pressure for Johnson to step aside finally succeeded.

While Sunak fled the storm, Truss remained in Johnson’s cabinet, calling her predecessor a “friend” on Monday.

“Boris — you got Brexit done, you crushed Jeremy Corbyn, you rolled out the vaccine and you stood up to Vladimir Putin,” she said. “You are admired from Kyiv to Carlisle.”

Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate his successor.

“Congratulations to @trussliz on her decisive win,” he wrote. “I know she has the right plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, unite our party and continue the great work of uniting and levelling up our country. Now is the time for all Conservatives to get behind her 100 per cent.”


Politicians and dignitaries from around the world followed suit.

“Sincere congratulations to my dear friend @trussliz elected today new #Conservative Party Leader and future UK Prime Minister!” tweeted Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau.

The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, tweeted, “Congratulations to @trussliz, the next Prime Minister of the UK. The EU & UK are natural friends & allies, with same core interests at heart. Democracies must remain united, in standing against autocracy and aggression. @Europarl_EN will always be a partner to the [British] people.”

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid called Truss “a great friend of Israel” in his congratulatory note.

“Our nations are allies united by our commitment to freedom and a shared vision for the future,” he tweeted. “I look forward to continuing our work together to take that alliance to new heights.”

Noticeably missing from the list of well-wishers at the time of this writing is a tweet from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, or the White House.

In fact, many are predicting U.S. relations with Great Britain will get bumpier when Truss steps into her new role.

“Liz Truss will be a powerful British leader in the Brexit era,” tweeted former Margaret Thatcher aide Nile Gardiner following the announcement. “As American leadership declines under Joe Biden, Great Britain’s role on the world stage will be increasingly important in standing up to China, Russia and enemies of free world.”

Melissa Fine
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