Truss defeats Sunak in Conservative Party leadership race to become new British PM

London: Foreign secretary Liz Truss has defeated Indian-origin former chancellor Rishi Sunak in Conservative Party leadership race to become new British Prime Minister, the party announced on Monday, ending weeks of high political drama.

Sir Graham Brady – chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs and returning officer of the leadership election, declared 47-year-old Truss as winner of the contest for the top job at 10 Downing Street.

She is the third female Prime Minister in Britain, after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.