UK Prime Minister, Liz Truss, on Thursday, 20th October, 2022, announced her resignation following a failed tax-cutting budget that rocked financial markets and led to a revolt within her own Conservative Party.
Truss said in a statement outside Downing Street, that she resigned because she could not deliver the mandate on which she was elected by the conservative party.
She explained that she had assumed office at a time of great economic and international instability and was saddled with the mandate to change things which she feels she cannot achieve.
With her resignation coming after six weeks in office, Truss is the shortest prime minister in the history of the UK.
Truss said she had notified the king of her resignation, adding that a conservative leadership election would be completed within the next week.
“This morning I met with the chairman of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady and we have agreed that there will be a leadership election to be completed within the next week. Therefore I will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen”, she said.
Truss’s administration has been in turmoil since her budget in September, 2022, which rocked markets but was later scrapped by her new chancellor.
The resignation of her home secretary on Wednesday, 19th October, 2022, triggered a vote in the House of Commons which sealed her fate.
According to reports, Graham Brady, the Conservative politician that is in charge of leadership votes and reshuffles, says he was now looking at how the vote could include Conservative MPs and the wider party members.
Truss was in office for ten days when Queen Elizabeth II passed and had to pause government business to oversee the Queen was given a befitting burial.
47-year-old Truss assumed office as Prime Minister in September 6th, 2022.
Before becoming UK’s prime minister, she held various cabinet offices under prime minister, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson, most recently as a foreign secretary from 2021 to 2022.
Story: Hilda Katu
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