Liz Truss resigns as British PM

[71 dB]

Very good news about Sunak becoming PM. We need someone hard-working competent and not a charlatan (Johnson) or an incompetent ideologue (Truss) as one commentator put it.

I agree that Sunak is more competent to be the PM than Johnson and Truss (who were very incompetent, so that is not saying much), but he has near impossible task ahead of him trying to get the UK back on track.

[vandermolen]

I agree that Sunak is more competent to be the PM than Johnson and Truss (who were very incompetent, so that is not saying much), but he has near impossible task ahead of him trying to get the UK back on track.

That's true. However, I feel an immense sense of relief this evening.

[71 dB]

That's true. However, I feel an immense sense of relief this evening.

It certainly could be worse... 

[Que]

Very good news about Sunak becoming PM. We need someone hard-working competent and not a charlatan (Johnson) or an incompetent ideologue (Truss) as one commentator put it.

A clever man and an economist seems like the right recipe, they should have picked him in the first place.

He married into a millionaire family, but of humble background himself. And he persuaded his wife to pay taxes in the UK. 

I agree that Sunak is more competent to be the PM than Johnson and Truss (who were very incompetent, so that is not saying much), but he has near impossible task ahead of him trying to get the UK back on track.

The UK's economy was not in a good state before, but leaving the EU and cutting off most economic ties didn't help matters much.
Sunak could start with reopening  Brexit negotiations and slowly but surely move its goal to rejoining the internal marktet (which is not the same as rejoining the EU).

[Herman]

A clever man and an economist seems like the right recipe, they should have picked him in the first place.

He married into a millionaire family, but of humble background himself. And he persuaded his wife to pay taxes in the UK. 

The UK's economy was not in a good state before, but leaving the EU and cutting off most economic ties didn't help matters much.
Sunak could start with reopening  Brexit negotiations and slowly but surely move its goal to rejoining the internal marktet (which is not the same as rejoining the EU).

Let's not kid ourselves. The little clip that shows RS getting mixed up about how to use a debit card doesn't make him look like a regular guy who just got lucky.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very good news about Sunak becoming PM. We need someone hard-working competent and not a charlatan (Johnson) or an incompetent ideologue (Truss) as one commentator put it.

Boy, that was fast!  Amazed also at how quickly Johnson was "in" and then "out"...what a day or two?  Or did he officially declare himself in or was that just rumors?

Nice to know that about needing to be a MP to be able to enter the running too.

What do you think the chances are that during the general election, that enough people will vote for Sunak?

PD

[Mandryka]

What do you think the chances are that during the general election, that enough people will vote for Sunak?

PD

The elephant in the room is this: will his brown skin repel so many traditional Conservative Party voters that they will tank in 2024? And will that be so obvious before 2024 that they will be jittery about going to the country with Sunak at the helm?

[Que]

Let's not kid ourselves. The little clip that shows RS getting mixed up about how to use a debit card doesn't make him look like a regular guy who just got lucky.

Perfect fit for the Conservatives then...

[vandermolen]

Boy, that was fast!  Amazed also at how quickly Johnson was "in" and then "out"...what a day or two?  Or did he officially declare himself in or was that just rumors?

Nice to know that about needing to be a MP to be able to enter the running too.

What do you think the chances are that during the general election, that enough people will vote for Sunak?

PD

Under Johnson or Truss, I think that they were zero (Johnson grossly overestimated how popular he was with 'The British Public' after 'Partygate' and all the lies). He imagined, erroneously, that he would be welcomed with open arms after jetting back from his Caribbean holiday to 'save' the country. With Sunak I think that they have a chance (and I speak as someone who has never voted Conservative). My wife and I both agree that we both experienced a huge wave of relief knowing that Sunak is our new PM. My wife actually said, 'I feel safe'.

Another great thing is that the fact that he is the first British-Asian and Hindu to become PM is not really a story here at all. It depends on how successful he is at managing the economy. And yes, it would be naive to suggest that he will not encounter 'Little England racism' along the way.
Good luck to him.

[Todd]

but of humble background himself.

According to his bio, he went to Winchester College and then attended Oxford before working at Goldman Sachs.  His parents are both medical professionals, if online information is correct.  I understand that income for doctors and pharmacists in the UK may not match that in the US, but in the US, anyone who comes from such a household is not said to come from a humble background.  Such a person comes from the top decile of earners at least, and typically something closer to the top 1%.  Mr Sunak married into extraordinary wealth, but he does not appear to be a man of the people who comes from humble beginnings.  I do admit that I do not know UK history very well, so perhaps UK posters can point out which PMs came from a working class background, or if Mr Sunak is viewed as a regular bloke.

[vandermolen]

According to his bio, he went to Winchester College and then attended Oxford before working at Goldman Sachs.  His parents are both medical professionals, if online information is correct.  I understand that income for doctors and pharmacists in the UK may not match that in the US, but in the US, anyone who comes from such a household is not said to come from a humble background.  Such a person comes from the top decile of earners at least, and typically something closer to the top 1%.  Mr Sunak married into extraordinary wealth, but he does not appear to be a man of the people who comes from humble beginnings.  I do admit that I do not know UK history very well, so perhaps UK posters can point out which PMs came from a working class background, or if Mr Sunak is viewed as a regular bloke.

Apparently, he's wealthier than the King!

[Irons]

Let's give him a kicking, not only a brown skin, young, wealthy and Tory ! How very much dare he!!

A bit of Sunak history. His Grandmother arrived in the UK with nothing leaving her husband and family in India. She worked non-stop and eventually the rest of the family came over and opened a pharmacy in Southampton. All profits invested in kid's education. Sure, Rishi has married vast wealth, so what? His siblings didn't and they too are top of the tree of their chosen professions.

[Todd]

Sure, Rishi has married vast wealth, so what?

He's a British John Kerry as far as I can see.

How long will he serve as PM?

[Irons]

Under Johnson or Truss, I think that they were zero (Johnson grossly overestimated how popular he was with 'The British Public' after 'Partygate' and all the lies). He imagined, erroneously, that he would be welcomed with open arms after jetting back from his Caribbean holiday to 'save' the country. With Sunak I think that they have a chance (and I speak as someone who has never voted Conservative). My wife and I both agree that we both experienced a huge wave of relief knowing that Sunak is our new PM. My wife actually said, 'I feel safe'.

Another great thing is that the fact that he is the first British-Asian and Hindu to become PM is not really a story here at all. It depends on how successful he is at managing the economy. And yes, it would be naive to suggest that he will not encounter 'Little England racism' along the way.
Good luck to him.

I don't get all this "brown skin" stuff. Fully aware you need to be on the wrong end of racism to recognise it and being an old white bloke not the best to comment. But I would like to think that huge strides have been made in the UK in combatting the worst forms. Our new PM is part of that. 

[Irons]

He's a British John Kerry as far as I can see.

How long will he serve as PM?

Don't know. Never heard of him.

[Karl Henning]

More deep analysis from the Peanut Gallery.

[Todd]

Don't know. Never heard of him.

You've never heard of Sunak?

[Roasted Swan]

Let's not kid ourselves. The little clip that shows RS getting mixed up about how to use a debit card doesn't make him look like a regular guy who just got lucky.

I'm upset - of course I know how to use a debit card..... its just that there is no money in the account to go with it.......................................................

[j winter]

I don't get all this "brown skin" stuff. Fully aware you need to be on the wrong end of racism to recognise it and being an old white bloke not the best to comment. But I would like to think that huge strides have been made in the UK in combatting the worst forms. Our new PM is part of that. 

I sincerely hope you are correct, but much the same thing was said and written by many regarding the US after Obama's election as President.  Many here saw Obama's election as a sign that the country had finally managed to make serious progress on questions of race, that we were finally going to see things move in a more positive direction after so many years; alas, things have not quite turned out that way...   

[Brian]

Don't know. Never heard of him.

John Kerry is an American politician who married into the Heinz ketchup corporation fortune.