British Prime Minister Liz Truss has resigned.
She said she could not deliver the mandate she was elected.
She, however, said she would remain in office until another PM is elected.
“I will remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen,” she said
Her departure after 45 days in office makes her the shortest-serving PM in UK history.
Speaking outside Downing Street on Thursday, Truss said she had told King Charles she was resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.
In front of dozens of reporters she says she came into office at a time of “great economic and international instability”.
Her words:
She said: “I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability. Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills. Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine threatens the security of our whole continent. And our country has been held back for too long by low economic growth.
“I was elected by the Conservative party with a mandate to change this. We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance. And we set out a vision for a low tax high growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.
“I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.
“This morning I met the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. We’ve agreed that there will be a leadership election to be completed within the next week.
“This will ensure that we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country’s economic stability and national security. I will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen. Thank you.”
Truss was elected by the Tory membership in September, but she lost authority after a series of U-turns.
She said the Conservative Party had elected her on a mandate to cut taxes and boost economic growth.
The resignation came after she met the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs as more Tories called for her to quit
Truss’ premiership came under renewed pressure after the home secretary resigned and a chaotic vote on fracking.
There was fury on Wednesday evening around the vote and the methods used to get MPs to vote with the government.
The Star
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