The former Chancellor of the Exchequer will move into Number 10 in the coming days
Rishi Sunak has completed a spectacular political comeback to become the next prime minister after rival Penny Mordaunt dropped out.
Mr Sunak will be the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42. Ms Mordaunt, the Commons Leader, bowed out of the race as she struggled to get the 100 nominations from Tory MPs required by the 2pm deadline.With Boris Johnson having ditched his own bid at a comeback, Mr Sunak will enter No 10 unopposed and avoid an online ballot of the Conservative members that rejected him for Ms Truss last month.
In a statement posted online two minutes before the deadline, Ms Mordaunt said her opponent now has her “full support”.