Premiership of Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak's term as the prime minister of the United Kingdom began on 25 October 2022 after he accepted King Charles III's invitation to form a new administration, following the resignation of his predecessor Liz Truss amid a government crisis. He is the first British Asian and the first Hindu to have held the office of prime minister.

Sunak was declared as the leader of the Conservative Party after being the sole MP to be nominated on 24 October 2022, elected unopposed in the October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election. His appointment as Prime Minister drew comparisons to Barack Obama becoming the first African American President of the United States in 2009.

Sunak is the first Prime Minister to have been appointed by Charles III, and is also the first Prime Minister since Clement Attlee to not serve under Queen Elizabeth II. He took office amid the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.

Conservative leadership bid

Following the resignation of his predecessor Liz Truss after a government crisis, Sunak formally launched his bid to become Leader of the Conservative Party on 23 October 2022. There were two other candidates actively seeking nominations: Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt. However, Johnson announced that evening that he would not declare his candidacy and Mordaunt withdrew hers on 24 October. It was subsequently announced by Graham Brady of the 1922 Committee that as the sole candidate who had received the required 100 nominations, Sunak had been elected as the new party leader.

In his first speech as Prime Minister, Sunak said that "we will create a future worthy of the sacrifices so many have made and fill tomorrow, and everyday thereafter with hope."

Premiership

It was announced that Jeremy Hunt would remain as Chancellor of the Exchequer, a role in the British cabinet he was given during the Truss ministry after Kwasi Kwarteng was dismissed on 14 October. Dominic Raab was also re-appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, a role he was given during the tenure of Boris Johnson. James Cleverly remained as Foreign Secretary with Suella Braverman returning as Secretary of State for the Home Department, a role from which she had previously resigned during the Truss ministry. Ben Wallace remained as Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Gove returned as Levelling Up Secretary, a role he was sacked from by Boris Johnson, and Grant Shapps was demoted from Home Secretary to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Penny Mordaunt who had dropped out of the leadership race remained as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council.

Other key appointments include Simon Hart as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip of the House of Commons, Nadhim Zahawi as Party Chairman, Oliver Dowden as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Thérèse Coffey as Environment Secretary, Mel Stride as Work and Pensions Secretary and Mark Harper as Transport Secretary.

Sunak claimed that these appointments to the government were in an attempt to reflect a "unified party".

Sunak is widely regarded as a pro business moderate and on the centre-ground of the Conservative Party.

On 26 October Sunak answered his first PMQs clashing over the appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, a politician who had been sacked by Liz Truss over security breaches. The same day Sunak also held his first cabinet meeting.