UK: Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss become final two candidates in race to become prime minister

The Conservative Party of the United Kingdom has narrowed down the candidates to become the next Prime Minister to its final two. Former finance minister Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss are chosen as the final two, making way for the final stage to select who will replace Boris Johnson.

Sunak and Truss won the final round of voting by members of the Conservative Party in parliament after several rounds of voting to narrow down the candidates.

Both are vying to replace Johnson, who resigned this month after growing calls by members of the party to step down along with backlash from several scandals and resignations of ministers, including Sunak.

“Grateful that my colleagues have put their trust in me today. I will work night and day to deliver our message around the country,” tweeted Sunak Wednesday, who was the front runner in all rounds of voting by the party’s members in parliament.

“Thank you for putting your trust in me. I’m ready to hit the ground running from day one,” tweeted Truss.

Despite Sunak having a lead among members of parliament, Truss appears to have the upper hand among the 200,000 members of the Conservative Party, who will ultimately choose the next leader of the party and the new prime minister.

Sunak and Truss were ultimately chosen in Wednesday’s vote, eliminating junior trade minister Penny Mordaunt. Sunak won 137 votes, while Truss and Mordaunt received 113 and 105, respectively.

The winner is set to be announced on September 5.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Supreme Court is expected to hear a legal case that would establish whether the government of Scotland can hold an independence referendum without the consent of the British government. The legal case would be heard in October.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is looking to hold a new vote in 2023, but Johnson did not allow one.

The hearing is expected to take place on October 11 and October 12 after Sturgeon instructed Scotland’s top law officer to make a referral for the legality of the independence referendum. Scottish voters rejected the referendum back in 2014, with 55 percent of voters opposing the measure.