Liz Truss will become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister. Truss beat out the other top contender, Rishi Sunak, in the bitterly fought Conservative leadership contest.
Truss was the foreign secretary under Boris Johnson. She won 57.4 percent of Tory votes, compared to 42.6 percent of votes to Sunak, the former chancellor. She will take the reigns over from Boris Johnson, who was ousted by his own MPs last month.
But the joys of victory will quickly fade for Truss, who will be facing a harsh reality of an economic challenge and a country gripped by a cost of living crisis. Families across Britain are struggling to pay their energy bills this winter, with energy costs and costs of living in general only expected to keep rising.
The severity of domestic challenges the next prime minister faces has become all too clear in recent weeks as the economic situation has deteriorated during the Tory contest.
Inflation could peak at above 20 percent. More than a year of recession is forecast. Tripling energy bills means crippling financial hardship looms for scores of families and businesses.
That backdrop is combined with the prospect of more public sector strikes, police preparations for the possibility of civil unrest, and soaring NHS waiting lists and concerns.
Truss promised a “bold plan” to cut taxes and grow the economy and said she would “deal with” soaring energy bills as well as longer-term energy supply. No further detail was given about how she plans to achieve these goals.
Truss is expected to visit the United States within weeks of entering No 10 in order to win support for Brexit. Truss wants to forge ties with US President Joe Biden’s administration.
With the annual United Nations General Assembly occurring this month, Truss is expected to fly to New York for the meeting. Last year, Truss accompanied Johnson on his trip to UNGA, marking her first overseas visit after being promoted to foreign secretary having held the position of international trade secretary.
A face-to-face meeting with Biden would be expected, though whether a trip to Washington DC will be included is likely to be decided nearer the time.
Truss will become the fourth Conservative prime minister in six years.
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