Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak is the strong favorite to replace Liz Truss as Britain's Conservative Party leader and prime minister, and could win the contest as soon as Monday.
Editor’s Note: This report was originally published in July, and was updated Oct. 23 after Boris Johnson took himself out of the running to return as prime minister following the resignation of Liz Truss.
The Conservative Party hastily ordered a contest that aims to finalize nominations Monday and install a new prime minister — its third this year — within a week.At 42, Sunak would be the youngest U.K. prime minister for more than 200 years and the country’s first South Asian leader. He worked for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and as a hedge fund manager and lived in the U.S., where he met his wife, Akshata Murty. They have two daughters.
Sunak’s sure-footedness has wobbled over the years. Critics said a campaign to get people to eat in restaurants after lockdown restrictions were eased in the summer of 2020 contributed to another wave of COVID-19.