“unite or die” Sunak tells conservative party members after winning

Rishi Sunak will be the UK’s next prime minister after winning the Conservative Party leadership selection by Tory MPs.

Sunak will become the UK’s first British Asian PM and at 42, the youngest leader in more than two centuries

In a short televised address, his first as Tory leader, Sunak said he intended to serve with “integrity and humility”.

Immediately after being announced and declared leader of the ruling conservative party, he warned in a brief statement that the country faces “profound economic challenges” ruled out an early general election, and warned his party they had to “unite or die”

The ex-chancellor who oversaw the nation’s finances during the Covid pandemic was the only contender to gain enough support from MPs

His rival Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race in the final minutes before nominations closed

Labour says Sunak will become another Tory PM chosen without a mandate from voters

The party repeated calls for a general election, echoed by the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party

Conservatives have broken their promises and broken the economy, says Labour’s deputy leader.

Speaking a little earlier, Angela Rayner repeated her party’s call for a general election, saying the Tories could not “keep doling out prime ministers every month”.

She added that Rishi Sunak was “rejected” by his own party members a few weeks ago when he lost the leadership race to Liz Truss.

A spokesperson for Truss said she would remain in Downing Street for at least another day, and that there would be no transition of power today