By Adedapo Adesanya
Mr Rishi Sunak on Monday became the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the third in three months after Ms Liz Truss resigned after 45 days in office last week, making her the shortest-serving UK PM in history.
The former Chancellor of the Exchequer became the only Conservative politician to draw the support of 100 or more party Members of Parliament and qualify to run for the country’s top political job.
Mr Sunak was nominated by 193 MPs and his opponent, Ms Penny Mourdant, was unable to hit the support threshold, making him the de facto winner.
With his ascension to the premier position, Mr Sunak also becomes the first person of colour to lead the UK and have the keys to 10 Downing Street.
At 42, he is the youngest prime minister for more than 200 years.
Mr Sunak served as Chancellor of the Exchequer under Ms Truss’ predecessor, Mr Boris Johnson, but is blamed by many Mr Johnson’s supporters for playing a key role in the plot that ousted the former Prime Minister when 62 of his key government politicians resigned en masse in July, following a series of scandals.
Mr Sunak was born in Southampton to parents of Indian descent who migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s. His wife is Akshata Murty, the daughter of billionaire Infosys founder, N.R. Narayana Murthy.
