The leadership race of (UK) Britain’s ruling Conservative Party has intensified as former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss emerged Wednesday as the final two candidates.
International Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt was knocked out in the final round of ballot among Conservative lawmakers. Sunak won 137 votes, while Truss received 113.
Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak is promising fiscal prudence, while Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is offering immediate tax cuts to the right-of-center governing party, which is divided and demoralized after three turbulent years under departing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The two will now go through a postal ballot among all Conservative Party members, numbering around 200,000, over the summer. The winner, to be announced on Sept 5, will automatically become UK’s next prime minister, replacing outgoing Boris Johnson.
