previous first British Prime Minister Boris Johnson He withdrew from the race for Downing Street yesterday, in an unexpected turn of events just hours before the deadline for nominations, leaving the way for his former treasurer, Rishi Sunak.
Although applications should close at 2:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. GMT) today, Monday, Johnson made it clear that he had 100 sponsorships necessary to apply. But “in the past few days I have come to the conclusion that it would not be the right thing to do. You cannot govern effectively if there is no unified party in Parliament,” he said in a statement.
The controversial former prime minister said he was convinced that, if he had been a candidate, he would have had a “good chance (…) to return to Downing Street” and be “in a good position” to lead his field over the coming period. Parliament elections scheduled for two years.
His withdrawal may pave the way for the appointment of former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak: he is currently the only candidate with the 100 needed supporters. The other candidate, the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Penny Mordaunt, is far from it.
Sunak announced yesterday that he is running for the position of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on the eve of close apps for this lightning process.
He was also the first to reach 100 cares on Friday night. Conservative MPs are needed To continue racing, but this 42-year-old waited until yesterday morning to officially announce his candidacy.
“The UK is a great country, but we are facing a deep economic crisis,” the former banker, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2019 to July, wrote on Twitter. That’s why I’m running to be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister. I want to straighten our economy, unite our party, and take action for our country.”
Boris Johnson’s camp claimed over the weekend that the 58-year-old former prime minister, who returned from vacation in the Caribbean on Saturday, had also reached 100 followers, contradicting at least three unofficial charges against him. Last night between 57 and 76 endorsements announced. “I have spoken to Boris Johnson and it is clear that he will be attending,” said one of his close aides, Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg.
The other declared candidate, Minister for Relations with Parliament Penny Mordaunt, was contacted by Boris Johnson, according to her surroundings, asking her to withdraw in his favour. Dominic Raab, former deputy prime minister of Boris Johnson, said support for Rishi Sunak was “rising by the hour”.
This new campaign for Downing Street began on Thursday due to the resignation of Liz Truss, after just 44 days in power following her election in September by Conservative Party members against Sunak.
The next prime minister will rule a country mired in a cost-of-living crisis, with inflation above 10%, and will have to calm markets, in the storm since the Truss government announced the budget in late September.
Election process in Great Britain
Once candidates have made their sponsorship, 357 Conservative MPs will vote, and if two candidates remain in the race, the 170,000 party members will have to choose by online voting between now and October 28.
If there is only one candidate, it seems, this will go straight to Downing Street at the start of the week.
Sunak has been listed as the favorite to win the keys to 10 Downing Street, and continues to receive support, including from MPs who have previously backed Truss, such as current head of international trade, Kimi Badenoch.
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