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UK PM Race LIVE Updates: In First Address As British PM, Rishi Sunak Says ‘Utmost Priority to Bring Our Party & Country Together’

October 24, 2022
Bharat Times

In his first address as the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said that he would make it his top priority to bring his Conservative Party and the country together at a time when Britain is staring at a “profound economic challenge”.
“UK is a great country but we face a profound economic challenge. We now need stability and unity and I’ll make it my utmost priority to bring our party and country together as that’s the only way we’ll overcome challenges and build a better future for our children and grandchildren,” he said.

Rishi Sunak became the UK Prime Minister after his rival Boris Johnson backed out of the race. As the UK continues to reel from political and economic turmoil, Sunak, the 42-year-old former finance minister, could become Britain’s third prime minister in less than two months.

“The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis,” Sunak said in a brief statement declaring his candidacy to lead the Conservative Party, and thereby become prime minister.

The latest crisis in the UK begins after Johnson, the face of the Brexit vote who led his party to a landslide victory in 2019, resigned this year. His successor Liz Truss’ tenure lasted just 44 days before she quit over an economic policy that trashed the country’s economic credibility.

The nominations are coming in and they will close on Monday at 2pm (local time). They were declared open on Thursday night. To proceed to the next stage the candidates must have the support of at least 100 Tory MPs. There are 357 MPs in total. If by the deadline at least one candidate earns the support of at least 100 of their colleagues the person will become the next leader of the Tories and the next prime minister of the country.

Here are the latest updates as a new leader will take over as British PM in the coming day:

  • Sunak, in his first address, said, “I pledge that I will serve you with integrity and humility and I will work day in and day out to deliver for the British people.”
  • Rishi Sunak arrives at Conservative Party HQ as he is set to become prime minister.
  • Outgoing PM Liz Truss congratulated Rishi Sunak on his appointment as Leader of the Conservative Party and next Prime Minister.

    • King Charles will now ask Sunak, one of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster, to form a government. The former Goldman Sachs analyst will be the United Kingdom’s first prime minister of Indian origin.

    • Sunak’s Rise as PM is a historic landmark as the Hindu descendant of immigrants from Britain’s old empire in India and East Africa will take charge of the world’s fifth largest economy.

    • Penny Mordaunt backed out of the PM race and extended her support to Rishi Sunak. She failed to earn the backing of 100 MPs which is a prerequisite for entering the PM race and bowed out of the race.
  • Rishi Sunak was in the lead with the support of 193 MPs while Penny Mordaunt was backed by 26 MPs, BBC reported.
  • Former chancellor George Osborne has joined the list of Tories urging Penny Mordaunt to drop out of the contest today.
  • Conservative MP George Freeman, who earlier pledged his support for Penny Mordaunt, urged her to step side and said he will now be voting for Rishi Sunak to be the next prime minister.
  • The head of the Conservative Party’s European Research Group, Mark Francois, said on Monday the grouping was unable to collectively endorse either Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt to be Britain’s next prime minister.

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