Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

Sept. 6, 2022, 3:24 p.m.

Liz Truss becomes prime minister for the United Kingdom

Summary

The ruling Conservative Party in the United Kingdom made Liz Truss their new leader, setting her up to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister. Truss is currently foreign secretary and strongly backs lower taxes and a smaller government. As Laura Barrón-López reports, the shift in leadership comes as the country braces for an acute economic and cost of living crisis. For a transcript of this story, click here .

Five Facts

  • Who is Liz Truss, and what is her background?
  • Where (in what country) is Truss becoming prime minister?
  • How was Truss chosen as prime minister?
  • Why did former prime minister Boris Johnson resign?
  • What are some of Truss's goals for the United Kingdom, according to this story?

Focus Questions

How do you think a change at the head of the United Kingdom's government might change the U.K.'s relationship with the United States? How else do you think Truss becoming prime minister might affect world affairs? Media literacy: How could you find out more about Brexit and how it's shaping the relationship between the U.S. and Europe?

For More

What students can do: Discuss — what issues facing the U.S. are shared by other countries such as the United Kingdom? Read this article about the economy in the U.K. and list which challenges seem similar to U.S. challenges, which are unique to the U.S. and which are unique to United Kingdom.
City workers walk past the Bank of England in the City of London, Britain, March 29, 2016. Photo by Toby Melville/REUTERS

Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.

Recent Daily News Lessons

survivorstories-e1790107633355-1

Daily News Lesson

Graphic novel shares stories of Hurricane Helene survivors

Learn about survivors and their experience with Hurricane Helene through a graphic novel

vote-2

Daily News Lesson

Monitoring the Midterms: How Trump's low approval rating may impact midterms

Discuss how the president's sinking popularity may determine control of the House and Senate

Ken Paxton James Talarico Texas primary

Daily News Lesson

Monitoring the Midterms: What's making the Texas Senate race so competitive

Data centers, gas prices and the economy are some of the issues on Texans' minds this election season

US President Donald J. Trump makes an announcement on healthcare in the Oval Office

Daily News Lesson

Trump says he's banning 3 outlets from White House in his latest attack on press freedom

Discuss the banning of news outlets and how that violates the First Amendment

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward