Foreign Secretary Liz Truss Enters Race To Become Next British Prime Minister

London: British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss entered the race to switch Boris Johnson as prime minister on Monday, taking the variety of candidates in an more and more bitter and unpredictable contest to 11. Truss, who has held ministerial jobs in numerous authorities departments together with commerce, justice and the treasury, mentioned she would slash taxes and preserve a tricky line in opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. She is searching for to switch Johnson who was pressured out on Thursday after his authorities imploded over a series of scandals. The foundations for the management election can be set out afterward Monday, aiming to discover a successor by September. "Under my leadership, I would start cutting taxes from day one to take immediate action to help people deal with the cost of living," Truss wrote within the Each day Telegraph. "It isn't right to be putting up taxes now." The race for a brand new chief adopted one of the exceptional intervals in fashionable British political historical past, when greater than 50 authorities ministers give up, denouncing Johnson's character, integrity and incapacity to inform the reality. With many lawmakers sad with Johnson remaining in workplace till a successor is discovered, the occasion is prone to speed up the election course of. It might insist that candidates have the backing of round 30 lawmakers to enter the method, earlier than voting begins this week to whittle the quantity down to 2. Round 200,000 members of the Conservative Get together will then select a winner after weeks of hustings throughout the nation. Former finance minister Rishi Sunak is the early entrance runner, however that has prompted his rivals to assault his financial file and vow to chop taxes, even when it pushes authorities borrowing larger. One lawmaker confirmed {that a} file criticising Sunak's file had been circulating on lawmaker WhatsApp teams. Nadhim Zahawi, appointed finance minister within the turmoil of final week, mentioned he was additionally being smeared by his rivals after media experiences raised questions in regards to the former businessman's private funds and tax file. "I was clearly being smeared," he advised Sky News on Monday. "I was being told that the Serious Fraud Office, that the National Crime Agency, that the HMRC (tax office) are looking into me. I'm not aware of this. I have always declared my taxes, I paid my taxes in the UK." Different candidates embody the legal professional normal, Suella Braverman, former {health} secretary Jeremy Hunt, former {health} and finance minister Sajid Javid and transport secretary Grant Shapps. One Conservative member of parliament mentioned he was astonished by the variety of his individuals coming into the management contest. "I shouldn't be surprised by the ambitions and the delusions of some of my colleagues, but I am," he mentioned. "I expect we will narrow down the list of candidates very quickly." (Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)