Liz Truss resigns as UK prime minister
LONDON, October 20, 2022
Liz Truss has resigned as UK prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party , a BBC report quoting a statement said.
Her departure after 45 days in office makes her the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.
In a statement outside Downing Street, she said she could not deliver the mandate on which she was elected as Tory leader and had notified the King that she was resigning, BBC said.
Truss's premiership has been in turmoil since her mini-budget last month, which rocked markets and was later scrapped by her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The resignation of her home secretary on Wednesday and a chaotic vote in the Commons sealed her fate, said BBC.
Her former leadership rival Rishi Sunak is the bookmakers' favourite to take over in No 10, followed by Penny Mordaunt and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, it said.
Chancellor Hunt has already ruled himself out of the race, while former PM Boris Johnson is fourth favourite to return to Downing Street, BBC said.
"We set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy – that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit. We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance," said Truss in her statement.
"We have continued to stand with Ukraine and to protect our own security.
"I recognise however that, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty The King to notify him that I am resigning as Leader of the Conservative Party," she said.
"There will be a leadership election to be completed in the next week. This will ensure we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country’s economic stability and national security," she said.
"I will remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen."
A Conservative leadership election will be completed within the next week, she said. "I will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen," she said.
