UK: Rishi Sunak has been appointed as the UK’s Prime Minister by Britain’s King Charles after the monarch accepted the resignation of Liz Truss after just 49 days in office.
The new Conservative leader was invited to form a Government by the king when they met at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday after Truss departed as the shortest-serving Prime Minister in history.
Sunak (42) is the UK’s first Hindu PM, the first of Asian heritage and the youngest for more than 200 years.
Sunak became Britain’s third Prime Minister in seven weeks on Tuesday, after winning the latest Conservative leadership contest.
He faces the huge challenge of projecting stability after a period of historic political and financial market chaos. But his other task shepherding the country through a recession is poised to be just as daunting.
Sunak said Monday that it was his “utmost priority to bring our party and our country together” in the face of a “profound economic challenge.” Investors cautiously welcomed news of his victory. The ultra-rich ex-banker is the first Asian person to lead the UK. He takes over after Truss’s shambolic 50-day tenure which shook Britain’s economy.
Sunak, who lost the summer leadership race, will lead a divided party and will immediately face demands to call and election and seek his own mandate.
Rishi Sunak’s first address as Prime Minister acknowledges the difficulties Britain is facing, and the magnitude of the moment. “I fully appreciate how hard things are, and I understand, too, that I have work to do to restore trust after all that has happened,” he said. “All I can say is that I am not daunted.”
Sunak contends that the Conservative Party’s mandate from the 2019 election does not belong to any individual. Pushes back on the idea that he does not have a mandate, even though he was elected by barely 200 Tory lawmakers. A somber but confident statement from Rishi Sunak. He draws a sharp distinction with Liz Truss. “Mistakes were made, not born of ill will or bad intentions,” he adds, but says there were “mistakes nonetheless.” He promises to fix them. Sunak promises a Government of “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” He adds, “Trust is earned, and I will earn yours.” - BBC
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