The British Prime Minister Liz Truss has resigned and confirmed that a leadership election to decide the United Kingdom’s next prime minister will be completed within a week.
In a speech at Number 10 Downing Street , Truss announced that she is resigning as she can not deliver on her election mandate.
“I recognize that given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party”.
“I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the king to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party,” she said.
She ended the statement by saying she will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen and attention is already turning to who will replace her.
“I will remain as prime minister until a successor is chosen,” she said
Having been formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on September 6, Truss is now by far the shortest-serving prime minister in British history and will be remembered as one of the most calamitous. She has served for only 45 days. The previous holder of this record, George Canning, lasted 119 days in the early 19th century.
A leadership contest to decide the next leader of the ruling Conservative Party, who will by default become the next prime minister, is now underway and will conclude in the next week. The opposition Labour Party has however called for an immediate election.
