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Truss to Become Britain's New Prime Minister

by VOA News

   British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is set to become Britain's new
   prime minister Tuesday, replacing Boris Johnson at a time of economic
   upheaval and escalating energy bills.

   Johnson is due to formally tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II
   at her Balmoral estate in Scotland, after which the queen is expected
   to appoint Truss as prime minister.

   The 47-year-old Truss will become the third woman to lead the country
   and Britain's fourth prime minister in six years.

   Speaking outside the prime minister's office in London, Johnson said
   Tuesday he is "proud to have discharged the promises I made to my party
   when you were kind enough to choose me," and that he will be offering
   the new government "nothing but the most fervent support."

   Truss prevailed in an intraparty vote, defeating former Chancellor of
   the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.

   After her victory was announced, Truss told a party gathering, "I
   campaigned as a Conservative, and I will govern as a Conservative."

   "I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy," she
   said. "Dealing with people's energy bills but also dealing with the
   long-term issues we have on energy supply."

   Truss, once an opponent of pulling Britain from the European Union but
   now a staunch supporter of Brexit, holds hawkish foreign policy views
   and is expected, like Johnson, to remain a steadfast link in the
   Western alliance sending aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's
   six-month-old invasion.

   Truss will immediately face severe economic problems, including a
   recession, labor turmoil, surging energy bills for British households
   and possible fuel shortages this coming winter.

   Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and
   Agence France-Presse.