Liz Truss's 'full support' message for Rishi Sunak — UK's next prime minister
Rishi Sunak will be Britain's next prime minister after his rivals quit the race, following one of the most turbulent periods in British political history.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Monday said Rishi Sunak had her full support after he won a leadership race to become the country's next leader.
"Congratulations @RishiSunak on being appointed as Leader of the Conservative Party and our next Prime Minister," Truss said on Twitter. "You have my full support."
Sunak will be Britain's next prime minister after his rivals quit the race, following one of the most turbulent periods in British political history.
At 42, Sunak will also become the youngest prime minister of modern times once he is confirmed in office by King Charles III. The former hedge fund investor, an observant Hindu, failed in the summer to persuade the Tory grassroots that he was a better option than Truss.
But having correctly predicted her economic agenda would spark turmoil, he was able to throw his hat into the ring for a second time.
After securing the public support of more than half of Conservative MPs, his only remaining challenger Penny Mordaunt was forced to withdraw -- following the failure of former leader Boris Johnson's own bid.
Fabulously rich from his previous career in finance, Sunak faces daunting challenges in power, from an economic crisis to uniting his fractious party.
Some within it remain highly critical of Sunak, viewing him as disloyal for triggering the downfall of Johnson in July.
He has also been mocked as out of touch with Britons struggling with decades-high inflation -- perhaps best symbolised by wearing expensive Prada loafers to a construction site visit on the summer campaign trail.
Video footage also emerged of a 21-year-old Sunak -- educated at Winchester College, an exclusive private school, and the University of Oxford -- talking about his friends.
"I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper-class, I have friends who are, you know, working-class," he says, before adding: "Well, not working-class."
Sunak represents the constituency of Richmond in Yorkshire, northern England --a safe and overwhelmingly white Conservative seat he took over in 2015 from former party leader and foreign secretary William Hague, who described him as "exceptional".
(With inputs from AFP)
