<p>The UK will learn Monday who will be its next prime minister, with Liz Truss the favourite to succeed Boris Johnson and take charge as the country battles a spiralling cost-of-living crisis.</p>.<p>The result will be announced at 12:30 pm (1130 GMT), after foreign minister Truss and her rival, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, spent the summer rallying support among the Conservative Party members who cast the final vote.</p>.<p>If she wins, Truss will become the UK's third female prime minister following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher.</p>.<p>The 47-year-old has consistently been ahead of 42-year-old Sunak in polling among the estimated 200,000 Tory members eligible to vote.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/truss-expected-to-be-named-conservative-leader-new-uk-pm-1142254.html">Truss expected to be named Conservative leader, new UK PM</a></strong></p>.<p>The leadership contest began in July after Johnson announced his resignation following a slew of scandals and resignations from his government.</p>.<p>Postal and online voting closed Friday after eight weeks of campaigning that Truss described to the <em>BBC</em> as "the longest job interview in history".</p>.<p>The vote may not reflect general public opinion, however.</p>.<p>A YouGov poll in late August found 52 per cent thought Truss would make a "poor" or "terrible" prime minister.</p>.<p>Forty-three per cent said they did not trust her "at all" to deal with the burning issue of the rise in the cost of living.</p>.<p>Whoever emerges as winner faces "the worst in-tray for a new prime minister since Thatcher", <em>The Sunday Times</em> wrote.</p>.<p>The UK is gripped by its worst cost-of-living crisis in generations, with inflation soaring into double digits and energy prices shooting up on the back of Russia's war in Ukraine.</p>.<p>Millions say that with bills set to rise by 80 per cent from October -- and even higher from January -- they face a painful choice between eating and heating this winter, according to surveys.</p>.<p>"If I'm elected prime minister, I will act immediately on bills and on energy supply," Truss told the <em>BBC</em> on Sunday, while declining to give details.</p>.<p>"Within one week I will make sure there is an announcement on how we are going to deal with the issue," she added.</p>.<p>Truss has campaigned on a promise to slash taxes and prioritise economic growth, just as Britain is tipped to enter recession later this year.</p>.<p>She said Sunday she would "within a month present a full plan for how we are going to reduce taxes" and "get the British economy going".</p>.<p>Sunak has vowed further government support to help people pay their energy bills and said curbing inflation would be his priority, attacking Truss's tax-slashing plans as reckless.</p>.<p>"Helping people with the cost of living and energy bills comes above everything else that I might like to do," he told the <em>BBC</em> on Sunday.</p>.<p>"We shouldn't rule anything out. I mean, we're facing a genuine emergency. I think anyone pretending that that isn't the situation isn't being straight with the country," he said.</p>.<p>Polls show public support for an early general election and the Conservatives face a growing challenge to retain their 12-year grip on power.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/suella-braverman-may-be-only-indian-origin-mp-in-new-uk-cabinet-1142149.html">Suella Braverman may be only Indian-origin MP in new UK Cabinet</a></strong></p>.<p>Truss became foreign minister a year ago after holding a series of ministerial posts in departments including education, international trade and justice.</p>.<p>She began her political journey as a teenage member of the centrist Liberal Democrats before switching to the right-wing Conservatives.</p>.<p>In 2016, she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union but quickly switched allegiance when Britons backed Brexit.</p>.<p>Her dress sense and love of photo opportunities -- posing in a tank in Estonia and wearing a fur hat in Moscow -- have earned her comparisons to Tory icon Thatcher.</p>.<p>Her sometimes stiff style has become visibly more relaxed and allies have sought to soften her image, revealing her love of karaoke and socialising.</p>.<p>The announcement Monday by Conservative Party officials of who will take over the leadership sets in motion a chain of events.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, Johnson will deliver a farewell speech at Downing Street.</p>.<p>He will then formally tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, after which she will appoint his successor in a so-called kissing of hands ceremony.</p>.<p>For the first time in her reign, the 96-year-old monarch will appoint the prime minister at her Scottish retreat, Balmoral, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.</p>.<p>This comes as the queen has suffered mobility problems and been forced to cancel a number of public engagements.</p>.<p>The next prime minister will be the 15th since the queen took the throne.</p>
<p>The UK will learn Monday who will be its next prime minister, with Liz Truss the favourite to succeed Boris Johnson and take charge as the country battles a spiralling cost-of-living crisis.</p>.<p>The result will be announced at 12:30 pm (1130 GMT), after foreign minister Truss and her rival, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, spent the summer rallying support among the Conservative Party members who cast the final vote.</p>.<p>If she wins, Truss will become the UK's third female prime minister following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher.</p>.<p>The 47-year-old has consistently been ahead of 42-year-old Sunak in polling among the estimated 200,000 Tory members eligible to vote.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/truss-expected-to-be-named-conservative-leader-new-uk-pm-1142254.html">Truss expected to be named Conservative leader, new UK PM</a></strong></p>.<p>The leadership contest began in July after Johnson announced his resignation following a slew of scandals and resignations from his government.</p>.<p>Postal and online voting closed Friday after eight weeks of campaigning that Truss described to the <em>BBC</em> as "the longest job interview in history".</p>.<p>The vote may not reflect general public opinion, however.</p>.<p>A YouGov poll in late August found 52 per cent thought Truss would make a "poor" or "terrible" prime minister.</p>.<p>Forty-three per cent said they did not trust her "at all" to deal with the burning issue of the rise in the cost of living.</p>.<p>Whoever emerges as winner faces "the worst in-tray for a new prime minister since Thatcher", <em>The Sunday Times</em> wrote.</p>.<p>The UK is gripped by its worst cost-of-living crisis in generations, with inflation soaring into double digits and energy prices shooting up on the back of Russia's war in Ukraine.</p>.<p>Millions say that with bills set to rise by 80 per cent from October -- and even higher from January -- they face a painful choice between eating and heating this winter, according to surveys.</p>.<p>"If I'm elected prime minister, I will act immediately on bills and on energy supply," Truss told the <em>BBC</em> on Sunday, while declining to give details.</p>.<p>"Within one week I will make sure there is an announcement on how we are going to deal with the issue," she added.</p>.<p>Truss has campaigned on a promise to slash taxes and prioritise economic growth, just as Britain is tipped to enter recession later this year.</p>.<p>She said Sunday she would "within a month present a full plan for how we are going to reduce taxes" and "get the British economy going".</p>.<p>Sunak has vowed further government support to help people pay their energy bills and said curbing inflation would be his priority, attacking Truss's tax-slashing plans as reckless.</p>.<p>"Helping people with the cost of living and energy bills comes above everything else that I might like to do," he told the <em>BBC</em> on Sunday.</p>.<p>"We shouldn't rule anything out. I mean, we're facing a genuine emergency. I think anyone pretending that that isn't the situation isn't being straight with the country," he said.</p>.<p>Polls show public support for an early general election and the Conservatives face a growing challenge to retain their 12-year grip on power.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/suella-braverman-may-be-only-indian-origin-mp-in-new-uk-cabinet-1142149.html">Suella Braverman may be only Indian-origin MP in new UK Cabinet</a></strong></p>.<p>Truss became foreign minister a year ago after holding a series of ministerial posts in departments including education, international trade and justice.</p>.<p>She began her political journey as a teenage member of the centrist Liberal Democrats before switching to the right-wing Conservatives.</p>.<p>In 2016, she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union but quickly switched allegiance when Britons backed Brexit.</p>.<p>Her dress sense and love of photo opportunities -- posing in a tank in Estonia and wearing a fur hat in Moscow -- have earned her comparisons to Tory icon Thatcher.</p>.<p>Her sometimes stiff style has become visibly more relaxed and allies have sought to soften her image, revealing her love of karaoke and socialising.</p>.<p>The announcement Monday by Conservative Party officials of who will take over the leadership sets in motion a chain of events.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, Johnson will deliver a farewell speech at Downing Street.</p>.<p>He will then formally tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, after which she will appoint his successor in a so-called kissing of hands ceremony.</p>.<p>For the first time in her reign, the 96-year-old monarch will appoint the prime minister at her Scottish retreat, Balmoral, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.</p>.<p>This comes as the queen has suffered mobility problems and been forced to cancel a number of public engagements.</p>.<p>The next prime minister will be the 15th since the queen took the throne.</p>