Sunak won the race Monday, and as the third prime minister of the United Kingdom this year, will be tasked with stabilizing the United Kingdom at a time of economic and political turbulence, The Associated Press reported.
Sunak is the son of immigrants of Indian origin who came to the United Kingdom from east Africa, BBC reported. Sunak was born in Southampton in 1980, where his father was a doctor, and his mother ran a pharmacy. Sunak will be the first person of color to become British prime minister, CNN reported.
Sunak studied politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford University, and was a Fulbright scholar at Stanford University, where he earned an MBA.
Early political career and Brexit
Sunak was first elected to parliament in 2015 as a representative for Richmond (Yorks). During his first two years in Parliament, Sunak supported leaving the European Union under “Brexit,” CNN reported. While campaigning for Brexit he also pushed for “free ports,” where goods could be imported and exported tax-free, to encourage trade, BBC reported.
Finance chancellor
Sunak was given his first major role in the U.K. government in 2019, when Boris Johnson appointed him as chief secretary to the treasury, CNN reported. In 2020, Johnson named him chancellor of the exchequer. In that role, Sunak oversaw Johnson’s economic plan during COVID-19, and was in charge of financial aid and furlough payments during the lockdown in the United Kingdom, BBC reported.
Resignation
Sunak resigned from Boris Johnson’s administration over the summer, citing a “fundamentally different” economic approach to dealing with the country’s cost-of-living crisis, USA Today reported. After the “Partygate” scandal took down Johnson, Sunak’s reputation was also damaged and he became rivals with the former prime minister, CNN reported.
Personal life
Sunak is married and has two daughters, according to his government biography. He also told a group of children in 2016 that as a child he wanted to grow up to be a Jedi Knight, BBC reported.
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Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III Newly elected leader of the Conservative Party Rishi Sunak is greeted as he arrives at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III where he will be invited to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III Outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III to formally resign as PM on October 25, 2022, in London. (Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III arrives at Buckingham Palace to meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss on her formal resignation on October 25, 2022, in London. (Isabel Infantes/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a statement prior to her formal resignation outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a statement prior to her formal resignation outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he departs Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak arrives at Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak leaves the Conservative Party Headquarters after having been announced as the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister Rishi Sunak leaves CCHQ on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak (center) waves as he arrives at the Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak arrives at CCHQ on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)