New Delhi: Liz Truss is the new Prime Minister of Britain. She has defeated her Indian-origin rival Rishi Sunak by nearly 20,000 votes. Weeks after outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation, Britain's got a new prime minister on Monday. Truss was also announced as the new leader of the governing Conservative Party.

Liz Truss has become the third woman to be elected as the United Kingdom prime minister. She also became the Conservatives’ fourth prime minister since a 2015 election.

𝙅𝙐𝙎𝙏 𝘼𝙉𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘾𝙀𝘿: @TrussLiz has been elected as the Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party 👇 pic.twitter.com/kbY2fp5z4X
— Conservatives (@Conservatives) September 5, 2022

The UK’s new prime minister has pledged to act within a week to tackle a cost-of-living crisis fueled by soaring energy bills linked to the war in Ukraine. Her rival Rishi Sunak had promised that if elected, he would temporarily cut the value-added tax on energy bills. Sunak had also insisted that he wouldn’t “max out the country’s credit card".

It may be recalled here Tory leadership race began after Boris Johnson’s resignation on July 7 following a series of resignations of cabinet members, who protested against his scandal-plagued leadership.

I am honoured to be elected Leader of the Conservative Party.

Thank you for putting your trust in me to lead and deliver for our great country.

I will take bold action to get all of us through these tough times, grow our economy, and unleash the United Kingdom’s potential. pic.twitter.com/xCGGTJzjqb
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) September 5, 2022

Johnson will travel to Scotland to meet Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday to officially tender his resignation. His successor Liz Truss will follow him and be asked to form a government.

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The UK’s Prime Minister-designate Liz Truss had visited India in October last year. During her visit, she underscored the importance of partnership with India. The Roadmap 2030 for India-UK future relations was launched during a virtual summit between the two countries in May last year.

She also undertook a trip to India in March this year and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved so far concerning Roadmap 2030 and agreed to further intensify efforts to deliver results in priority areas of trade and investments, defence, and migration.

(With inputs from agencies)