Rishi Sunak confirmed as Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak has won the Conservative Party leadership competition, and will now become Prime Minister.

Seven weeks after losing to Liz Truss in this year’s first Tory leadership contest, Sunak emerged as the only candidate after rival Penny Mordaunt failed to get to the 100 Conservative MP votes as per the rules of the race.

pic.twitter.com/w76rEvJdyQ

— Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) October 24, 2022

As the only Conservative MP with a valid number of nominators and supporters, around 200, Sunak won.

The precise details of what happens next has yet to be confirmed, however it has been reported that King Charles III is in London and therefore could receive Prime Minister Truss’ formal resignation and then invite Rishi Sunak to become Prime Minister as soon as this evening.

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

“The antidemocratic nature of the Westminster system has been laid bare for all to see. Rishi Sunak has no mandate, no legitimacy. Democracy demands a General Election.

 “Rishi Sunak’s coronation may soothe the financial markets in the short term, but the Tory party is still riven with factions who will be jostling for the upper hand at critical votes. More fundamentally, the chronic crisis and abuse of democratic legitimacy remain unresolved.

 “He has no electoral mandate for the austerity measures he plans to inflict on our public services, which are already close to buckling after twelve years of Conservative mismanagement. Wales did not vote for this in 2019.

 “The people of Wales deserve an opportunity to reject this rotten Westminster system at the ballot box with a general election. Only Plaid Cymru can offer the people of Wales a voice and vision for a better future.”