Britain's first black prime minister - youngest in 200 years

Rishi Sunak became Britain's prime minister on October 24 after other contenders dropped out of the race to become the Conservative Party leader, with the future leader facing the daunting task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn that threatens to push millions into poverty.

Mr. Rishi Sunak. Photo: Reuters

Mr Sunak, one of Westminster's richest politicians, has been asked by King Charles to form a government to replace Liz Truss, who has been Prime Minister for just 44 days.

Mr Sunak defeated centrist politician Penny Mordaunt, who failed to get enough support from MPs to go through to the vote while his opponent, formerPrime Minister Boris Johnson, has withdrawn from the race, saying he cannot unite the Conservative Party.

"This is a historic decision and once again demonstrates the diversity and talent of our party's members. I will fully support Mr Rishi," Ms Mordaunt said in a statement as she withdrew from the race just minutes before the winner was announced.

Mr Sunak, a 42-year-old former finance minister, became Britain's third prime minister in less than two months with a mandate to restore stability to a country that has endured years of economic and political turmoil.

Mr Sunak is Britain's first Indian-origin and first black prime minister. At 42, he is also the youngest person to hold the position in more than 200 years.

Mr Sunak's family emigrated to Britain in the 1960s. After graduating from Oxford University, he attended Stanford University, where he met his wife, Akshata Murthy, daughter of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys Ltd.

He won a majority of support in the early weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic when he announced an expanded support plan for those unable to work during the lockdown. Compared to Liz Truss, Mr. Sunak is considered to have a softer stance on some issues such as Brexit and the economy./.