UNITED KINGDOM (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Britain’s former finance minister Rishi Sunak has won the race to be leader of the Conservative Party and will become the United Kingdom’s first Asian prime minister.
Former PM Liz Truss resigned last Thursday after six turbulent weeks in office. Truss lost control of the party after her tax-cutting economic agenda sent foreign markets in freefall.
Sunak’s only rival, Penny Mordaunt, conceded and withdrew from the race Monday morning.
Sunak will be the UK’s third prime minister this year and the first Hindu to take the role.
Former PM Boris Johnson resigned in July amid pressures from the party due to numerous scandals that plagued his tenure.
He reportedly had planned to run for the office again after Truss’ resignation but abandoned the idea of a comeback.
Sunak also had to overcome scandal before winning the PM position.
His opponents allege that he was a turncoat for quitting Johnson’s government amid numerous ethics scandals, according to the Associated Press. He and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned on July 5. That was followed by almost 50 members of the government ahead of Johnson’s resignation.
Sunak was born in 1980 in Southampton, England to parents of Indian descent who were born in East Africa.
Copyright 2021. WBAP/KLIF News. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.