Liz Truss gets lowest membership vote since rule change

Britain has a new Prime Minister, with Liz Truss set to replace Boris Johnson

But the new PM didn’t receive the landslide support many expected. In fact she had the lowest membership vote since the rule change.

Truss secured 57% of members votes, compared to Boris Johnson getting 66.4% of the vote in 2019, David Cameron 67.6% in 2005.

No honeymoon period

Despite the reset at Number 10, the new PM has to get down to business fast.

There is inflation, Ukraine, energy security, the NHS, and the never-ending complexities of Brexit.

It’s been a tough year for the Conservatives, trailing Labour in the polls, and an election has to happen by January 2025.

But Liz Truss’s biggest task will be dealing with the impact of rising energy costs on households across the UK.

Boris’s reaction

The outgoing PM Boris Johnson has congratulated Liz Truss on what he called a “decisive win”.

“I know she has the right plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, unite our party and continue the great work of uniting and levelling up our country,” he tweeted. 

Runner-up Rishi Sunak has tweeted his reaction after losing out to Liz Truss, saying that Conservatives are “one family” and should unite behind the new leader.