London: Britain's Conservative Party has chosen Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as the party's new leader, putting her in line to be confirmed as prime minister.
Truss's selection was announced Monday in London after a leadership election in which only the 180,000 dues-paying members of the Conservative Party were allowed to vote.
Truss beat rival Rishi Sunak, the government's former Treasury chief, by promising to increase defense spending and cut taxes, while refusing to say how she would address the cost-of-living crisis. Queen Elizabeth II is scheduled to formally name Truss as Britain's prime minister on Tuesday.
The ceremony will take place at the queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland, where the monarch is vacationing, rather than at Buckingham Palace.
The ceremony will take place at the queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland, where the monarch is vacationing, rather than at Buckingham Palace.
Key quotes from Liz Truss's victory speech
"I campaigned as a conservative and I will govern as a conservative. My friends, we need to show that we will deliver over the next two years."
"I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy. I will deliver on the energy crisis, dealing with people's energy bills, but also dealing with the long term issues we have on energy supply."
"I also want to thank our outgoing leader, my friend, Boris Johnson. Boris, you got Brexit done. You crushed Jeremy Corbyn. You rolled out the vaccine and you stood up to Vladimir Putin. You are admired from Kyiv to Carlisle."
'Worst in-tray'
The Tory winner faces "the worst in-tray for a new prime minister since Thatcher", The Sunday Times wrote.
Millions say that with energy bills set to rise by 80 percent from October - and even higher from January - they face a painful choice between eating and heating this winter, according to surveys.
The Times and Daily Telegraph newspapers reported on Monday that Truss was considering freezing energy bills for consumers, with the government reimbursing suppliers.
But polls show public support for an early general election, and the Conservatives face a growing challenge to retain their 12-year grip on power with the opposition Labour party riding high.
Truss became foreign minister a year ago after holding a series of ministerial posts in departments including education, international trade and justice.
She began her political journey as a teenage member of the centrist Liberal Democrats before switching to the Conservatives.
In 2016, she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union but switched allegiance when Britons backed Brexit.
Her love of photo opportunities and style of dress - posing in a tank in Estonia and wearing a fur hat in Moscow - have earned her comparisons to Tory icon Thatcher.
Her sometimes stiff style has become visibly more relaxed and allies have sought to soften her image, revealing her love of karaoke and socialising.
Storm clouds
The announcement on Monday by Conservative officials set in motion a chain of events.
For the first time in her 70-year reign, the 96-year-old monarch will appoint the prime minister at her Scottish retreat, Balmoral, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.
The queen has been suffering mobility problems, and has cancelled a number of public engagements.
On Tuesday morning, Johnson will deliver a farewell speech at Downing Street before flying to Scotland - where heavy rain is forecast - to hand his resignation to the queen.
Truss is expected to fly separately to accept the queen's invitation to form a new government, to ensure continuity of government in case of any mishaps.
On her return to Downing Street, the new prime minister will then give a short address to the nation. By tradition, that happens on the steps of Number 10.
But it may have to be moved indoors with forecasts for thundery downpours, matching Britain's dismal outlook as the Truss government starts life.
