Rishi Sunak to become next UK prime minister

Britain's former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP, Rishi Sunak leaves his home in London on October 22, 2022. PHOTO | AFP

Rishi Sunak has become British prime minister on Monday after other candidates quit the race to lead the Conservative Party, leaving him with the task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn set to leave millions of people poorer.

Sunak, one of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster, will be asked to form a government by King Charles, replacing Liz Truss, the outgoing leader who only lasted 44 days in the job.