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Liz Truss is UK’s next prime minister, succeeding Boris Johnson

  • Liz Truss to take power as Britain faces a spiralling cost-of-living crisis driven by surging energy prices, double-digit inflation
  • She campaigned on reducing the size of government, redefining Britain’s relationship with China and the European Union

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03:02

Liz Truss named Britain’s new Prime Minister and Conservative leader

Liz Truss named Britain’s new Prime Minister and Conservative leader
Chad Brayin London
Liz Truss, Britain’s foreign secretary, has been chosen to succeed Boris Johnson as the country’s fourth prime minister in six years, inheriting a generation-defining economic crisis and increased tensions with some of Britain’s biggest trading partners.
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Truss was voted as new leader of the ruling Conservative Party by 170,000 Tory members, beating main rival Rishi Sunak 57 to 43 per cent after a two-month hustings campaign.

Truss, who has served in the governments of three prime ministers over the past decade, has vowed to shrink the size of Britain’s government, lower taxes and redefine the country’s relationship with the likes of the European Union (EU) and China as Britain’s new leader.

However, Truss is facing a cost-of-living crisis not seen since her idol – Margaret Thatcher – was in office. Inflation has risen to double digits and could top 22 per cent next year if surging energy prices do not abate, according to investment bank Goldman Sachs.

“During this leadership campaign, I campaigned as a Conservative and I will govern as a Conservative,” Truss said in her victory speech on Monday at the QE2 Centre in London.

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“My friends, we need to show we will deliver over the next two years. I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy.

“I will deliver on the energy crisis, dealing with people’s bills and the long term issues we have on energy supply. And, I will deliver on the National Health Service. We will deliver, we will deliver and we will deliver.”

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