LONDON: Former chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak looked nervous as the results were read out. But after Truss won, he stood up and clapped for her. Sunak, 42, soon after his defeat, took to Twitter to thank everyone who voted for him. He tweeted: “I’ve said throughout that the Conservatives are one family. It’s right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times.” Sunak, however, will not be part of Truss’s cabinet.
Truss looked overjoyed with the results. One of the first things she did on stage was to pay tribute to Sunak, saying: “It’s been a hard fought campaign. I think we have shown the depth and breadth of talent in our Conservative party.” Sunak clapped but looked devastated and tears seemed to well up in his eyes.
British Prime Minister Truss defeated him in the leadership contest on Monday to succeed Boris Johnson, to steer the country through difficult times.
Truss polled 81,326 votes, compared to Sunak’s 60,399 in an election with a high turnout of 82.6%, with 654 rejected ballots from a total of 172,437 eligible Tory voters.
On Sunday also, Sunak said that if he loses the Conservative Party leadership race, his job would be to support the next government.
In his final interview with the BBC before the results were declared, Sunak said he planned to stay on as a member of Parliament and continue to work for his constituents in Richmond, Yorkshire, if he was defeated.
Truss looked overjoyed with the results. One of the first things she did on stage was to pay tribute to Sunak, saying: “It’s been a hard fought campaign. I think we have shown the depth and breadth of talent in our Conservative party.” Sunak clapped but looked devastated and tears seemed to well up in his eyes.
British Prime Minister Truss defeated him in the leadership contest on Monday to succeed Boris Johnson, to steer the country through difficult times.
Truss polled 81,326 votes, compared to Sunak’s 60,399 in an election with a high turnout of 82.6%, with 654 rejected ballots from a total of 172,437 eligible Tory voters.
On Sunday also, Sunak said that if he loses the Conservative Party leadership race, his job would be to support the next government.
In his final interview with the BBC before the results were declared, Sunak said he planned to stay on as a member of Parliament and continue to work for his constituents in Richmond, Yorkshire, if he was defeated.
