Britain’s new prime minister infographic
Graphic shows the next steps in Britain’s leadership contest.
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POLITICS

Britain’s new prime minister

By Duncan Mil

September 5, 2022 - Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will become the successor to Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson after being appointed by Queen Elizabeth II.

After a gruelling six-week campaign, Sir Graham Brady, the returning officer for the Conservative leadership election, announced that Truss won the keys to number 10 by 81,326 members’ ballots against 60,399 votes for Rishi Sunak.

On Tuesday, both outgoing PM Johnson and Truss will travel to Balmoral to meet the Queen for the official handover.

Usually, a new prime minister is invited to Buckingham Palace to be appointed by the Queen, but in a break from tradition this year, Her Majesty is staying in Scotland. The Queen will officially appoint her next prime minister shortly after seeing Johnson.

Truss will fly back from Balmoral to London before making her first speech in Downing Street as prime minister.

From Tuesday afternoon into the evening, she will begin to appoint her top government team -- foreign secretary, chancellor, home secretary and business secretary.

Truss will also likely receive phone calls from other world leaders congratulating her on the appointment. Truss has said her first conversation will be with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Truss could likely hold her first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, having appointed the top team. At midday, Truss will participate in her first session of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons -- head-to-head with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

During the remainder of Wednesday, Truss will continue to make ministerial appointments.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 05/09/2022; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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