Sunak and Johnson are considered the most promising candidates to succeed Liz Truss.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
London In Great Britain, a duel is looming over the successor to resigned Prime Minister Liz Truss between former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and ex-Prime Minister Boris Jonson. As Johnson frantically tried to get enough MPs from his party behind him on Sunday, Sunak officially announced his candidacy with the support of more than 120 parliamentarians.
The two opponents could not agree on a joint approach on Sunday night. Johnson apparently insists he must become the new prime minister because he was the only one with a vote after winning the 2019 general election. However, Sunak has more than twice as many faction members behind him as the former prime minister. Another interview was to take place on Sunday afternoon. Labor leader Keir Starmer has called for immediate general elections.
The candidates for the party leadership of the ruling Tories need the support of at least 100 party members. Johnson, who returned to London early from vacation in the Dominican Republic on Saturday, has only 50 supporters, according to British media estimates. His camp, on the other hand, claims that he has already cleared the 100 hurdle. The result is due to be announced on Monday at 2 p.m. UK time.
Should Sunak and Johnson both meet the minimum number, there would be an online runoff next week among the approximately 180,000 members of the Conservative Party. Johnson is still very popular at the party’s grass roots and is considered a favorite there. If only one applicant reaches the 100 mark, he would automatically become the new party leader and prime minister on Monday. Also in the running is Penny Mordaunt, Conservative majority leader in the House of Commons. But she is far behind with only 24 votes so far.
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The renewed race for the top of government became necessary because Truss had to give up after only 44 days under pressure from the financial markets and her party after a false start in terms of economic policy. International investors are nervous about political instability in London, which could be prolonged should scandalous Johnson be elected.
Initial speculation about Johnson’s candidacy had again put sterling and British government bonds under selling pressure on Friday. “Given the instability we saw at the end of Johnson’s premiership, there may be concerns about his ability to form a stable government,” warned former British central banker Charlie Bean.
On Sunday, however, there were increasing doubts that Johnson could really make what is probably the greatest political comeback in recent times. Sunak was also able to win over leading representatives of the right wing of the party. Above all, the support of Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch and former Brexit negotiator David Frost should give Sunak’s candidacy further impetus. “I want to put our economy back in order, unite our party and do something for our country,” the 42-year-old son of African immigrants justified his candidacy.
Johnson also has prominent right-wing supporters in former Home Secretary Priti Patel, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Moog. However, among the 357 Conservative MPs, he is met with a great deal of skepticism and even open hostility. Several Tory MPs have threatened to leave the party if Johnson is re-elected.
Partygate affair could catch up with Johnson again
One of the reasons for the strong reservations is an ongoing investigation by the ethics committee in the British House of Commons into whether Johnson lied to Parliament about his breaches of the lockdown rules during the pandemic. If this is confirmed, the ex-prime minister could be expelled from parliament and would have to resign from all political offices.
Johnson’s comeback would be “a guaranteed failure – we cannot allow that to happen,” said former Brexit Secretary Steve Baker. According to former Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, it was only a matter of days before the first witnesses would testify publicly against Johnson.
More: Possible Johnson comeback divides the Conservatives again