Liz Truss's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom began on 6 September 2022 when she accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to form a government, succeeding Boris Johnson, and ended 49 days later on 25 October upon her resignation. While prime minister, Truss also served as First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union.
Truss defeated Rishi Sunak in the July-September Conservative Party leadership election on 5 September and was appointed prime minister the following day. Elizabeth II’s death on 8 September caused government business to be suspended during a national mourning period of 10 days. In response to the cost-of-living crisis and energy supply crisis, the Truss ministry announced the Energy Price Guarantee, which reduced energy prices for households, businesses, and public sector organisations. Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng announced large-scale borrowing and tax cuts in a mini-budget on 23 September. The mini-budget was widely criticised and largely reversed, having led to financial instability.
Truss dismissed Kwarteng without explanation on 14 October and appointed Jeremy Hunt to succeed him. On 19 October, Home Secretary Suella Braverman resigned after admitting to having used her personal email address to send a Cabinet document. Her resignation letter was critical of Truss’s policy decisions. On the evening of 19 October, MPs voted to reject a motion which would guarantee parliamentary time for a bill to ban fracking in the UK. The vote was controversial as it was unclear whether a three-line-whip had been issued to Conservative MPs, ordering them to vote against it. Allegations of “manhandling” and intimidation were made by a number of MPs against some government ministers. Following these events, together with mounting criticism and loss of confidence in her leadership, Truss announced on 20 October her intention to resign as Conservative Party leader and prime minister. Sunak was elected unopposed as her successor and succeeded her as leader on 24 October and as prime minister on 25 October.
Truss is the third female prime minister, following Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, and is both the last of 15 UK prime ministers to have served under Elizabeth II and the first to have served under King Charles III. She is the shortest-serving prime minister in British history and recorded the lowest approval ratings of any UK prime minister.
Conservative leadership bid
Liz Truss launched her bid to succeed Boris Johnson on 10 July 2022. During the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, Truss pledged to cut taxes by scrapping the National Insurance rise that had previously been announced in April 2022, scrapping the recent corporation tax rise and she also promised to remove green energy levies. During the campaign, when asked whether French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe, Truss replied that the "jury was out" and that she would judge Macron based on his "deeds not words". During a hustings event, Truss suggested that it would be best to ignore the "attention seeker" Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon before rejecting the possibility of a second independence referendum for Scotland.
On 20 July 2022, Truss finished second in the fifth round of voting amongst the Conservative Parliamentary Party with 113 votes behind Rishi Sunak with 137 votes, qualifying her for the final vote amongst the membership. Truss defeated Rishi Sunak in the members' vote with 57.4% of the vote against Sunak's 42.6%. She was elected on 5 September 2022, assuming office on 6 September 2022. She became the fourth consecutive Conservative prime minister since 2010, and the third female prime minister, following Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. Following the announcement there were protests in London.
Premiership
First speech and initial appointments
Truss made her first speech as prime minister in Downing Street on 6 September. In the speech she thanked and praised her predecessor Boris Johnson, and focused on economic growth, similar to during her campaign. Truss also stated the need for an energy plan as well other foreign policy statements. During her speech protesters outside Downing Street attempted to drown out Truss by playing loud music.
With the appointment of Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer, James Cleverly as Foreign Secretary, and Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, for the first time in British political history, no white men held positions in the Great Offices of State.