New prime minister

Who Is She?

A new leader for one of America's
key allies.

The mom of two becomes the new prime minister of England.

Liz Truss

• Mary Elizabeth Truss
• 47 years old
• Married and the mother of two teenage daughters. Her husband is an accountant.
• Conservative Party
• Served as foreign secretary under Prime Minister Boris Johnson (who resigned in controversy during July igniting a search for a replacement).
• Third woman to serve as British Prime Minister in history (Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May).

“I campaigned as a Conservative — and I will govern as a Conservative.”

Incoming British Prime Minister Liz Truss in her victory speech. Truss did not begin her political career as a conservative; she is notably from a liberal family and served as president of Oxford University’s Liberal Democrats while she was in school. Some critics call her a “political chameleon” but she says she found more like-minded people in the Conservative party valuing smaller government and personal freedom. She joined the Conservative Party in the 1990s and rose in its ranks.

"Britain's slowing economy is poised to enter recession, inflation is at its highest rate in decades and households are facing crippling energy bills from the war in Ukraine."

The Wall Street Journal describing the challenges awaiting Truss in office, continuing: “The energy crisis combined with a labor crunch is an inflationary double whammy.” Although many nations (like the U.S.) have high inflation, England is expected to have the highest inflation and lowest economic growth of any G7 country next year (G7 = a group of the world’s most advanced economies).

The British political system allows for the party to elect a new leader after the resignation of a current Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, Queen Elizabeth officially appointed Liz Truss at Balmoral estate in Scotland, where the 96-year-old monarch has spent most of the summer. As a young Liberal Democrat leader, Truss once discussed abolishing the monarchy before switching to the Conservative party.