Liz Truss becomes U.K. prime minister after meeting with the Queen
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and new Conservative Party leader and Liz Truss meet at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Photo: Jane Barlow/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Liz Truss was officially appointed the U.K.'s new prime minister on Tuesday after a formal meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.
Driving the news: Truss' appointment follows former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's departure from 10 Downing Street for the final time. He officially resigned in a meeting with the Queen at Balmoral Castle in Scotland earlier in the day.
What they're saying: President Biden called Truss on Tuesday to congratulate her on becoming prime minster, according to a White House readout.
- "The leaders reaffirmed the special relationship between our countries and expressed their readiness to further deepen those ties," the White House said.
- They also discussed their "close cooperation on global challenges, including supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression, addressing the challenges posed by China, preventing Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon, and securing sustainable and affordable energy resources."
Meanwhile, Johnson said of the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party: "It's time for politics to be over, folks. It's time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her team and deliver for the people of this country."
- In his final speech as prime minister, Johnson blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war on Ukraine for the United Kingdom's surging energy costs but said Truss and her government "will do everything they can to get through this crisis."
The intrigue: "On the subject of bouncing around in future careers, let me say that I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function," Johnson said before getting in his car.
- "And I will now be gently reentering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific."
The big picture: Johnson announced in July he would step down after dozens of ministers resigned from his government after a series of scandals, including holding Downing Street parties in breach of U.K. pandemic lockdown rules.
Between the lines: Johnson guided his party to a landslide win in 2019 after pledging to "get Brexit done."
- However, several matters remain unresolved following Britain's Jan. 1, 2021, exit from the European Union — notably the issue of Northern Ireland and the Irish border.
- EU officials last week expressed concern over the U.K.'s plans to change the original agreement on Northern Ireland.
Worth noting: Biden also discussed with Truss "their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Flashback: How it all fell apart for Boris Johnson
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
