Rishi Sunak to be next prime minister after Penny Mordaunt quits race

Rishi Sunak has completed a spectacular political comeback to become the next prime minister after rival Penny Mordaunt dropped out.
By Sam Blewett and David Hughes
Published 24th Oct 2022, 14:09 BST
Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak leaves his home in London, following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister on Thursday. Picture date: Monday October 24, 2022. See PA story POLITICS Tory. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA WireConservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak leaves his home in London, following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister on Thursday. Picture date: Monday October 24, 2022. See PA story POLITICS Tory. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak leaves his home in London, following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister on Thursday. Picture date: Monday October 24, 2022. See PA story POLITICS Tory. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA Wire

The former chancellor won the support of Conservative MPs to succeed Liz Truss as Tory leader on Monday and will enter Downing Street less than two months after he lost the last race.

Mr Sunak will be the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42.

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Ms Mordaunt, the Commons Leader, bowed out of the race as she struggled to get the 100 nominations from Tory MPs required by the 2pm deadline.

With Boris Johnson having ditched his own bid at a comeback, Mr Sunak will enter No 10 unopposed and avoid an online ballot of the Conservative members that rejected him for Ms Truss last month.

He now has the daunting task of leading the nation through an economic crisis only exacerbated by the chaotic legacy of Ms Truss, who was ousted after only six weeks in office.In a statement posted on Twitter, Ms Mordaunt said: “Our Party is our membership. Whether we are elected representatives, activists, fundraisers or supporters. We all have a stake in who our leader is.

“These are unprecedented times. Despite the compressed timetable for the leadership contest it is clear that colleagues feel we need certainty today. They have taken this decision in good faith for the good of the country.

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“Members should know that this proposition has been fairly and thoroughly tested by the agreed 1922 process.

“As a result, we have now chosen our next Prime Minister. This decision is an historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party. Rishi has my full support.

“I am proud of the campaign we ran and grateful to all those, across all sides of our party, who gave me their backing.

“We all owe it to the country, to each other and to Rishi to unite and work together for the good of the nation. There is much work to be done.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Tories of installing “another out-of-touch prime minister”, as he reiterated calls for a general election.

Related topics:Penny MordauntLiz TrussRishi SunakMPsEd Davey