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Liz Truss Resigns, Will Be U.K.’s Shortest-Ruling Prime Minister

Truss, 47, quit after just 44 days in office, and will become the shortest-ruling prime minister in British history.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Prime Minister Liz Truss walks out of No.10 to announce her resignation at Downing Street on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Yesterday saw the resignation of the Home Secretary followed by confusion in the House of Commons over the government vote on Fracking. Conservative MPs are openly briefing against the Prime Minister and the 1922 Committee have received letters calling for Truss's removal from one third of their MPs. (Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images) Photographer: Rob Pinney/Getty Images Europe
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Prime Minister Liz Truss walks out of No.10 to announce her resignation at Downing Street on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Yesterday saw the resignation of the Home Secretary followed by confusion in the House of Commons over the government vote on Fracking. Conservative MPs are openly briefing against the Prime Minister and the 1922 Committee have received letters calling for Truss's removal from one third of their MPs. (Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images) Photographer: Rob Pinney/Getty Images Europe

Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned after a brief and chaotic tenure that saw her announce a massive package of unfunded tax cuts before unwinding most of it in the face of a market rout.

Truss, 47, quit after just 44 days in office, and will become the shortest-ruling prime minister in British history. She said she would remain as prime minister until the Conservative Party chooses her successor, with the process to be completed within a week.

https://t.co/U9cnt9ldV9 pic.twitter.com/aNVzZ8oga4

— Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) October 20, 2022
 Liz Truss walks out of No. 10 to announce her resignation at Downing Street on Oct. 20.Photographer: Rob Pinney/Getty Images
 Liz Truss walks out of No. 10 to announce her resignation at Downing Street on Oct. 20.Photographer: Rob Pinney/Getty Images

She came to power in early September promising an all-out push for growth, but her program proved unpalatable to financial markets as both the pound and gilts tanked amid concerns about how she’d pay for her economic plans.

Her departure leaves the ruling Conservative Party badly damaged, languishing more than 30 points behind Labour in the polls after 12 1/2 years in power. Her successor will become the party’s fifth premier in less than seven years since the 2016 Brexit referendum ushered in a period of unprecedented chaos in British politics. 

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