Rishi Sunak becomes first Yorkshire MP to become Prime Minister

The Yorkshire MP yesterday won the Conservative leadership election announced only four days previously after Liz Truss was forced to step down as Prime Minister after losing control of her party.

Mr Sunak, who will become the first MP from a seat in the county to become Prime Minister, warned his colleagues that they must “unite or die” in the face of the economic challenges caused by global pressures and his predecessor’s economic plans.

He will be the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42.

Yesterday, Penny Mordaunt, his only other competitor in the contest after Boris Johnson withdrew, resigned at the last minute after she failed to get the backing of 100 of her colleagues.

This morning, Ms Truss is due to chair her final meeting of her cabinet before giving a speech outside Downing Street and meeting the King to begin the handover process to Mr Sunak.

She congratulated her successor by saying that she has her “full support”.

After winning the contest, Mr Sunak gave a private address to his parliamentary colleagues, around 200 of which were understood to have backed him for the top job, where it is understood he ruled out a general election and called on his party to unite behind him.

It came as Labour said the Conservatives “can’t just keep doling out Prime Ministers” as Angela Rayner, its deputy leader demanded the country go to the polls.

In his only public address to the nation yesterday, Mr Sunak gave an 86-second speech, which made no mention of his policy platform or intentions for his new Government.

Promising to serve with “integrity and humility”, he praised Ms Truss for her “dignity and grace” during “exceptionally difficult circumstances” of economic turmoil.

As Prime Minister, Mr Sunak will face a difficult first few days in the job, with the Chancellor’s medium term fiscal plan due in less than a week.

It is likely that this will include cuts to departmental budgets in order to convince the markets that the country’s economic plan is credible, and that the country’s debt can be kept under control.

It is expected that Jeremy Hunt will be kept on as Chancellor, while Mr Sunak has been urged by colleagues to appoint a cabinet which could unite the warring factions of the party.

This is hoped to avoid a situation under Liz Truss where, after appointing a cabinet of those who backed her in the leadership contest, those who were sacked moved against her when the economy took a downward turn.

It is expected that several key backers of Mr Sunak over the summer, and in recent days, could be appointed with moves to the Cabinet.

Julian Smith has been rumoured to return to his previous role as Northern Ireland Secretary, while Mel Stride, the chairman of the Treasury select committee, could be in line for a Cabinet position.

It is also expected that some Cabinet Ministers could be set to leave Government, with Therese Coffey among those who could be set to return to the backbenches.

Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, could also be forced to resign if Mr Sunak does agree to his defence spending demands.

As of yesterday sources suggested that several cabinet ministers, including Jake Berry, the Party Chairman, Simon Clarke, the Levelling Up Secretary and Kit Malthouse, the Education Secretary had not been given formal or informal assurances that they would be kept in their roles by Mr Sunak.