“We will deliver, we will deliver, we will deliver and we will deliver a great victory for the Conservative Party in 2024.”

Loading

She thanked outgoing leader and “my friend” Boris Johnson.

“Boris, you got Brexit done, you crushed Jeremy Corbyn, you rolled out the vaccine and you stood up to Vladimir Putin,” she said.

“You are admired from Kyiv to Carlisle.”

Johnson, who is said to be eyeing a comeback, tweeted a short time later that he wanted the party to unite behind Truss following her “decisive win”.

“I know she has the right plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, unite our party and continue the great work of uniting and levelling up our country,” he said.

“Now is the time for all Conservatives to get behind her 100 per cent.”

Truss thanked her rival Sunak and said it had been a “hard-fought campaign” that had showcased the depth and breadth of talent in the Conservative Party.

Sunak also called for unity.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me in this campaign,” he said.

“I’ve said throughout that the Conservatives are one family. It’s right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times.”

Opposition Leader Keir Starmer congratulated Truss but said she was not the change Britain needed.

“I’d like to congratulate our next prime minister Liz Truss as she prepares for office,” Starmer said in a statement.

Loading

“But after 12 years of the Tories all we have to show for it is low wages, high prices, and a Tory cost of living crisis.

“Only Labour can deliver the fresh start our country needs.”

Former Conservative prime minister David Cameron urged the party to unite behind Truss.

“Many congratulations to new PM Liz Truss,” he said in a tweet.

“At this time of challenge and global uncertainty, I wish the new government well.

“I never forget the support I had from all former Conservative leaders when I won the ballot in 2005 and I hope all Conservatives will unite behind the new PM.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he looked forward to a “continued constructive relationship and friendship between our nations and people.”

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.