Liz Truss is the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday named the 47-year-old as successor to Boris Johnson, who was forced to resign over a series of scandals. She hired Truss to form a new government, Buckingham Palace said. The Conservative Party had previously elected Truss as its new leader and thus head of government, as the Tories currently hold a majority in the House of Commons.
Truss is the third woman to lead the British government, after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. She moves to 10 Downing Street at a critical time: Britain faces runaway inflation and threatens to plunge into recession.
Energy prices, Ukraine war, Brexit: many problems await Truss
Millions of Britons fear that they will not be able to pay their electricity and gas bills next winter. There are also uncertainties due to the war in Ukraine, the corona pandemic and Brexit. Truss has promised tax cuts and said it will be one of the first to come up with a plan to tackle the energy crisis.
Boris Johnson formally fired
Former Prime Minister Johnson had previously been formally sacked by the Queen at Balmoral Castle. Johnson said goodbye to the nation with a speech in the morning. He promised his successor “nothing but energetic support”.
Will Johnson return to politics?
At the same time, the 58-year-old said he was dissatisfied with his forced departure. Political observers do not rule out the possibility that Johnson is already planning his return to the top of the government. Johnson’s wife Carrie and hundreds of employees, MPs, photographers and reporters had gathered for the Downing Street speech, which had been cordoned off.
The Queen traditionally resides at her Scottish estate, Balmoral Castle, from mid-July to mid-September. Her failure to host the politicians at Buckingham Palace in London has to do with the mobility issues of the 96-year-old monarch, who has now seen three women and 12 men at 10 Downing Street during her reign.
The support that Johnson’s successor enjoys within her own party and within her faction is certainly not unqualified. This increases the pressure on Truss to make an immediate positive impression on voters.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
