London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Liz Truss resigns: PM's exit kicks off another Tory leadership race

Liz Truss resigns: PM's exit kicks off another Tory leadership race

Liz Truss has resigned as prime minister after 45 days in office marked by turmoil, triggering the second Tory leadership election in four months.

Ms Truss said her successor would be elected by next week after a rebellion by Tory MPs forced her to quit.

Boris Johnson is among MPs said to be considering bids but Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has ruled himself out.

Tory MPs revolted against Ms Truss after a series of U-turns on her economic plan sapped her of authority.

In a brief speech outside Downing Street, Ms Truss said the Conservative Party had elected her on a mandate to cut taxes and boost economic growth.

But given the situation, Ms Truss said: "I recognise that I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and other opposition parties called for an immediate general election following Ms Truss's resignation speech.

Ms Truss said she would remain in post until a successor formally takes over as party leader and is appointed prime minister by King Charles.

While Mr Hunt - who was appointed chancellor last week - will not challenge for the leadership, none of the candidates who stood against Ms Truss in the previous contest have indicated whether they would stand.

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs, said a new leader could be chosen by next Friday.

Under party rules, leadership hopefuls will need to secure the support of 100 MPs in order to enter the contest - this means a maximum of three candidates can stand.

A first ballot will be held among MPs and the person with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated, if there are three candidates.

If a second ballot is needed, MPs will be able to signal who they prefer through an indicative vote.

And if both candidates opt to stay in the race, the final decision will go to party members via an online vote.

Ms Truss will become the shortest-serving PM in British history when she stands down.


Leaders of allied nations thanked Ms Truss for her co-operation, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, who said he wanted "stability" from the next UK prime minister.

In her speech, Ms Truss said she entered "office at a time of great economic and international instability", as war rages in Ukraine and living costs skyrocket.

The prime minister said her government delivered on providing support for energy bills and reversing a rise in National Insurance, a tax on workers and companies.

But Ms Truss's resignation comes after a period of political and economic turbulence, which forced her government to ditch tax cuts that sent financial markets into a tailspin.

The prime minister sacked close political ally Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor and appointed Mr Hunt as his successor as she attempted to calm the markets.

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Ms Truss insisted she was a "fighter, not a quitter" after Labour's leader asked her why she had not resigned.

But more instability followed, when Suella Braverman quit as home secretary and a vote on fracking fell into disarray, with some Tory MPs accused of bullying.

Ms Truss's resignation sets off a scramble to find a successor to lead a deeply divided party, which is lagging behind Labour in the polls after 12 years in power.

Candidates who contested the last leadership election earlier this year included Ms Braverman, International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Their supporters are talking them up as potential candidates in the contest to succeed Ms Truss, but none have confirmed their position on standing.

Nor has former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose supporters have not denied reports that he is considering standing again for the Conservative leadership.

A source close to Mr Johnson told the BBC they were "not saying anything either way" at the moment.

In a tweet, another former prime minister, Theresa May said "MPs must now be prepared to compromise.

"It is our duty to provide sensible, competent government at this critical moment for our country," she wrote.

As Tories assessed their chances of winning the leadership, opposition parties poured scorn on the idea of another prime minister taking office without having a general election.

Sir Keir said the Conservative Party "no longer has a mandate to govern", saying "the British people deserve so much better than this revolving door of chaos".

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a general election was a "democratic imperative" following Ms Truss's resignation.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said his party would be willing to work with Labour to "get the general election our country needs to let the British people have their say".

The next general election is not due to take place until at least 2024, after the Conservatives won a landslide majority in the last one in 2019.

The Liberal Democrats has also urged Ms Truss to turn down an allowance, worth up to the £115,000 per year, to which former prime ministers are entitled.

The money, called the Public Duty Costs Allowance, is to help with "necessary office costs and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life".

The Liberal Democrat's cabinet office spokesperson Christine Jardine said: "Liz Truss will forever be known as the 50-day prime minister - there is no way that she should be permitted to access the same £115,000-a-year for life fund as her recent predecessors - all of whom served for well over two years."


Watch: Watch Liz Truss step down as PM

WATCH: Liz Truss's 45 days in office

Watch: 'What a mess' - Sir Keir on Tory party leadership


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×