Penny Mordaunt announces intention to become next British prime minister

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, announced her intention to become Britain's next prime minister on Friday.

Mordaunt said on Twitter that she was running to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, and by default the next prime minister, after Liz Truss resigned on Thursday.

"I've been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest," Mordaunt said. "I'm running to be the leader of the Conservative party and your prime minister -- to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE [general election]."

Mordaunt is a former defense secretary, who was ousted from this year's Tory leadership contest in the fifth round, losing out to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss.

Mordaunt has about 19 public endorsements and she needs to reach 100 Tory MP supporters by 2 p.m. on Monday. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak and ex-prime minister Boris Johnson are considered the leading candidates to replace Truss, who resigned just 45 days into the job.

Complaints about Truss and her plans grew louder not only from her opponents but fellow Conservatives for weeks, starting with a tax cut plan that led to the devaluation of the British pound and a bruising resignation letter from ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

The departure of Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, the author of the "mini-budget" tax cut plan she initially embraced, and Braverman, along with confusion over fracking legislation Wednesday night appeared to be the tipping point for Truss.

"We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance," Truss said in her resignation speech Thursday. "And we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy -- that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.

Truss will remain as prime minister until a successor is chosen.