LONDON: Boris Johnson bowed out as British Prime Minister, ending a tumultuous three years in office and bequeathing his successor Liz Truss a daunting list of problems to tackle. Johnson, who was forced out of office by his own Conservative Party over a series of scandals, urged country to come together and back his successor.

After making a farewell speech outside Downing Street, he left London to travel to Scotland and tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth. Truss will then be appointed Prime Minister and start to form a government. 47-year-old Truss is tasked with steering Britain through a looming lengthy recession and an energy crisis that threatens finances of millions of households and businesses. Her plan to boost economy through tax cuts while providing tens of billions of pounds to cap energy costs has already badly rattled financial markets, prompting investors to dump pound and government bonds.

“What I say to my fellow Conservatives, it’s time for politics to be over, folks,” Johnson said in his speech. “It’s time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her team and her programme.” Truss will be fourth Conservative Prime Minister in six years. Truss will follow Johnson to Scotland and be asked to form a government by Queen Elizabeth. She will then address country and start appointments to her team of ministers. Most pressing issue is energy crisis. Household bills are due to jump by 80 percent in October, but a source familiar with situation has told Reuters that Truss is looking at freezing bills this winter, in a plan that could cost more than Covid-19 furlough scheme.–Agencies

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 07 2022

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