Liz Truss has been named the new leader of the United Kingdom’s governing Conservative Party and will become the nation's next prime minister, following Boris Johnson’s resignation in July.
The 47-year-old defeated former finance minister Rishi Sunak in a poll of Conservative Party members, winning 81,326 votes compared to Mr Sunak’s 60,399.
She will be the UK's fourth prime minister since 2015, and the third woman to ever serve in the role.
In her victory speech, Ms Truss said she had a "bold plan" to cut taxes and grow the economy.
"We will deliver a great victory for the Conservative Party in 2024," she said.
Who is Liz Truss?
Ms Truss was born in 1975 and studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Merton College, Oxford, graduating in 1996.
Before entering politics, she worked for oil giant Shell, telecommunications company Cable & Wireless, and was deputy director of think tank Reform.r
After two failed attempts at joining UK parliament, Ms Truss was eventually elected in 2010 as the member for South West Norfolk.
Since then, she's been appointed to several cabinet positions including her most recent roles under Mr Johnson as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. and Minister for Women and Equalities.
Rishi Sunak (left) and Liz Truss (right) were the final two candidates in the race to be the new Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister. Source: AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth
What happens now she's been elected Conservative Party leader?
Ms Truss will on Tuesday travel with Mr Johnson to Queen Elizabeth's Scottish estate, Balmoral.
There, Mr Johnson will formally tender his resignation to the Queen.
It will be followed by a meeting between Ms Truss and the Queen, where the monarch will ask Ms Truss to form government.
What could Liz Truss' prime ministership mean for Australia?
In 2020 during Ms Truss' tenure as trade minister, former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott was appointed an adviser to the UK's Board of Trade.
While critics claimed Mr Abbott’s views on women, homosexuality, and climate change made him unfit for the role, Ms Truss defended him.
"What I'd say about Tony Abbott is that he’s a former prime minister of Australia," she told ITV News.
"Australia is a key ally of the United Kingdom and he has done a very good job in areas like trade."
Ms Truss was also responsible for negotiating a post-Brexit free trade deal with Australia, which critics say will leave UK farmers worse off.
Despite the criticism, the agreement is expected to be ratified by both the UK and Australian parliaments in the new year, with the current trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan telling Nine newspapers she and Ms Truss would fight anyone for the deal.
"She [Ms Truss] started it and I finished it off so between her and me we'll fight anyone who wants to slow it down," she said.
When it comes to foreign policy, Ms Truss has been described as having a "hawkish" stance towards China, calling for the UK to reduce its economic dependency on the Asian superpower. She had reportedly also pledged to if she became prime minister.
Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating described comments she made in January on a visit to Australia about Chinese military aggression in the Pacific as "demented" and saying that "Britain suffers delusions of grandeur and relevance deprivation".
In a speech to the Lowy Institute during that same visit, Ms Truss described the UK's "close bonds" with Australia as "more important than they've ever been", particularly in the face of "growing threats" from China and Russia.
"I see Australia as a real inspiration … with the work you do to promote free trade, freedom of speech, human rights, and rights for women and girls as a leading nation," she said.
Ms Truss also hailed the "landmark" AUKUS part"bold new era" in the countries' "long history together" that would help "protect security and stability" across the Indo-Pacific region.
"This is a truly formidable and cutting edge partnership – and we are determined to continue strengthening it for the benefit of us all," she said.
