Former finance minister of UK, Rishi Sunak will be the United Kingdom’s next prime minister after seeing off his lone sticking-around rival in the fast-tracked race to become Conservative party leader on Monday.
The another conceivable candidate, Penny Mordaunt, relented after failing to meet the brink of nominations from lawmakers mandated to progress to the next stage of the race. Moments before the number of nominations were due to be announced, Mordaunt pledged her full support to Sunak.
Sunak will become the first person of color and the first Hindu to lead the UK. At 42, he is also the youngest person to take the office in more than 200 years.
Speaking after the announcement, Sunak said he was “humbled and honored” to have been elected leader. “It is the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve the party I love and give back to the country I owe so much to,” he said in a brief televised statement.
Sunak is set to replace Liz Truss, who will become the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history. Sunak will become prime minister once he is officially appointed by King Charles III and will be the first prime minister appointed by the new King following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.