Boris Johnson has won the race to lead the Conservative party in the U.K. which makes him the country’s next prime minister.
Johnson is a leader in the Brexit movement and an ally of President Trump. Trump has even gone as far as to endorse Johnson for the role of prime minister.
According to CNBC:
Boris Johnson, one of the biggest voices in the Brexit movement, won the Conservative Party leadership race on Tuesday and will become the U.K.’s next prime minister.
Johnson, 55, was elected as his party leader, and consequently the U.K. leader, with 92,153 votes from members of the ruling Conservative Party. Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt received 46,656 votes. Johnson will take up office on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump, who has publicly backed Johnson on several occasions during the leadership race, congratulated him via Twitter saying: “He will be great!”
Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He will be great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019
The new prime minister, who has previously been foreign minister and mayor of London, will likely usher in a new team of ministers. Some incumbents have already announced their impending departure, including Finance Minister Philip Hammond, largely because of their different stances over Brexit. In addition to Brexit, Johnson faces an immediate crisis with with Iran, which seized a British oil tanker on Friday.
Johnson promised in a speech after his election that he would work to unite Britain as he takes on the tough task of navigating their exit from the European Union.
