Liz Truss has announced her resignation as Prime Minister after just 44 days in office.
Her resignation on Thursday makes her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history and caps a brief but tumultuous time at 10 Downing Street that was rocked by a disastrous mini-budget and culminated with the resignation of her Home Secretary and a chaotic fracking vote.
Her successor is to be elected within the next week but Truss' resignation has given rise to calls from the leaders of the Labour Party, Lib Dems and SNP for an immediate general election.
She will remain in power until a successor is chosen.
In a statement outside No 10, she said, "I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability. Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills. Putin's illegal war in Ukraine threatens the security of our whole continent. And our country has been held back for too long by low economic growth.
"I was elected by the Conservative party with a mandate to change this. We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance. And we set out a vision for a low tax high growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.
"I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.
"This morning I met the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. We've agreed that there will be a leadership election to be completed within the next week.
"This will ensure that we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country's economic stability and national security. I will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen. Thank you."
