Liz Truss to become new UK Prime Minister

Liz Truss will become the next Prime Minister of Britain, beating Rishi Sunak with 57.4 per cent of votes. Sunak had 60,399 votes, while Truss had 81,326 votes.

The 47-year-old has described her ascent towards the top of British politics as a “journey” that has seen her criticised for being ambitiously opportunistic.

She hails from a left-wing family and initially joined the centrist Liberal Democrats before jumping ship to the right-wing Conservatives.

She became MP for the South West Norfolk constituency in eastern England in 2010, surviving revelations of an affair that almost cost her the nomination.

Since 2012, she has held a series of ministerial posts in the education and finance departments, as well as a difficult spell in justice.

In 2016, she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU), but quickly became one of its strongest supporters when Britons voted for Brexit.

(With inputs from agencies)