Liz Truss officially becomes new UK PM

The former foreign secretary has replaced Boris Johnson after meeting with Queen Elizabeth II

Liz Truss has officially assumed the position of prime minister of the United Kingdom after a formal meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at the monarch’s Scottish Highland retreat on Tuesday.

The former foreign secretary spent some 30 minutes with the Queen behind closed doors and will now head to 10 Downing street to give her first public statement as the nation’s leader.

The announcement comes after a two-month race between Truss and former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak for the top role in the UK’s Conservative Party and thus the British government. Truss becomes the UK’s 56th prime minister and the third woman to hold the position. 

After being handed the victory on Monday by the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, Truss heaped praise on her predecessor and former boss Boris Johnson, applauding him for getting Brexit “done” and “standing up to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin.”

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Truss has pledged to stick to the commitments made by the Conservative Party in the 2019 general elections and has promised to cut taxes, deal with energy shortages and improve the National Health Service.

Boris Johnson announced he would be stepping down as prime minister on July 7 following a series of scandals and cabinet resignations. He had drawn criticism for holding private parties in contravention of Covid-19 lockdowns and for appointing as his deputy chief whip an MP who was known to have a record of alleged sexual misconduct.