Rishi Sunak to become Prime Minister after winning Conservative leadership
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Rishi Sunak is set to become the third Prime Minister in less than 50 days after he was elected leader of the Conservative party.
His two challengers – former PM Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt – both dropped out of the race in the last 24 hours.
Mr Sunak becomes the first person of colour to lead the United Kingdom, just seven weeks on from losing the Conservative leadership election to Liz Truss.
He will take over as prime minister at a deeply troubled time for the country amid the cost of living crisis, rampant inflation, huge disarray within the Tory parliamentary party and with no end in sight to the war in Ukraine.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Mr Sunak "is uniquely well equipped" for the job.
“Our country – like others around the world – faces tough economic challenges," Mr Ross said. "Against that backdrop, it’s important that we have someone at the helm with a proven track record in running the nation’s finances, who can provide economic stability and reassurance to the markets.
“Recent weeks have been difficult and unsettling for both the Conservative Party and, more importantly, the country. Now all our focus must be on bringing the nation together and navigating the tough economic conditions we face.
“As he showed during his time as Chancellor – not least in safeguarding one in three Scottish jobs during the pandemic through the furlough scheme – Rishi Sunak is uniquely well equipped for that task.”
But far north MP Jamie Stone said: “The government has caused calamity and chaos and they must be held to account – Highlanders deserve better.
"The Conservative party's incompetence has led to our economy being trashed, our health services neglected, and hundreds of pounds being added to people’s mortgages.
"Now its MPs have installed another out-of-touch Prime Minister with no plan to repair the damage and without giving the British people a say.
“We will now see more of the same, as Conservative MPs plot and squabble amongst themselves while completely ignoring the huge challenges facing the country. The only way to end the chaos is a General Election now."
Inverness, Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry said: "This really is preposterous, the anointment of yet another Tory Prime Minister, a loser from the previous, undemocratic internal contest just makes it more absurd.
"This really is an affront to democracy, means continued, worsening, Tory ideological austerity - along with the costs to families and communities.
"Yet again this proves that Westminster is failing Scotland and that the only way to break from harmful polices we didn't vote for is for Scotland to become a normal, independent country."
