UK: Boris Johnson Chosen As New Prime Minister

Boris Johnson on Tuesday was chosen as the U.K.'s next prime minister and head of the Conservative party, beating his rival Jeremy Hunt.

Johnson secured 92,153 votes from the membership of the Tory party, defeating Hunt, who got 46,656. Johnson was widely expected to win.

The controversial former foreign secretary had faced down a number of rivals, including Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Esther Mcvey, and former Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsome before besting the current foreign secretary in the final.

The Tory membership, numbering 160,000, voted for the new prime minister on Monday capping a seven-week contest between Johnson and Hunt.

The new prime minister, however, will face an uphill struggle in finding a solution to the national crisis wrought by Brexit. With an incredibly thin majority in parliament, the new Tory leader will find it incredibly difficult to pass legislation, let alone a new Brexit deal that will appeal to all opposition parties including Labour.

The U.K. is set to leave the European Union on Oct. 31.

Johnson has voiced favor for a no-deal Brexit, despite experts' warning that doing so would deal a heavy blow to the British economy. -