Rishi Sunak vs Liz Truss: All you need to know about top contenders for UK PM's Office

Following weeks of drama and uncertainty, Tories are now braced for what is being called a "blue on blue dogfight" between top contenders-Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. On Wednesday, Indian-origin Sunak led the conservative vote with 137 while Truss followed him with 113 votes. As both of them enter a six-week race to become Britain's next Prime Minister, here is everything you need to know. 

Everything about Sunak and Truss

Rishi Sunak is a former Goldman Sachs banker who raised the tax burden to the highest level since the 1950s. "This leadership contest is about more than just being the leader of our party, it's about becoming the custodian of our United Kingdom," he said earlier this month as he launched his leadership bid. He has also been batting on his Indian origin, talking vividly about his parents who migrated from East Africa in the 1960s.

Born in South Hampton, he became the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer in February 2020. Being an MP since 2015, Sunak has previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury for a year. In 2009, he married Akshata Murthy- daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murty. He has two children Anoushka and Krishna. Being a devout Hindu, he became the first Chancellor to light Diwali diyas in Downing Street in November 2020.

As a part of his election campaign, he has been primarily focused on the issue of Inflation, instead of vote-winning tax cuts. "I will get taxes down in this Parliament, but I'm going to do so responsibly. I don't cut taxes to win elections, I win elections to cut taxes," he declared. Earlier this year, Sunak received a bashing when he was found guilty in the Partygate scandal along with outgoing PM Boris Johnson.

Competing Sunak is 46-year-old Liz Truss who has pledged to cut taxes if she gets elected as the Prime Minister. Born in Oxford, she studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University. She is married to accountant Hugh O’Leary since 2000 and has two daughters- Liberty and Frances. It is pertinent to note that in 2004, she was caught publically having an affair with Tory MP Mark Field.

Liz entered politics in 2012 when she was appointed as Junior Education Minister and then was given the post of Environment Minister two years later. In 2016, she was elected as Lord Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury. In 2019, Truss assumed the role of Britain’s Trade Minister and continued till 2021. At present, she is serving as the country’s Foreign Secretary and Equalities Minister.

Truss made headlines during Brexit after she took a 360 in her stance regarding UK’s exit from the European Union. She initially voted to remain in the group but soon changed her stance after the vote went the other way. Truss calls herself a loyal follower of Johnson and did not resign last month, when almost 50 MPs including Sunak, stepped down from their positions.

Given the moniker of Margaret Thatcher 2.0, Truss told Conservative lawmakers that she will now “take the case to the Conservative party about my bold new economic plan” that would “cut taxes, grow our economy and unleash the potential of everyone in our United Kingdom”. She promised to “hit the ground running” as prime minister.

(Image: AP)