The search for who becomes the next Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister is on.
Sir Graham Brady Chair of the 1922 Committee has disclosed that, nominations from Tory Members of Parliament (MPs) as to who they deem fit to be the next Leader has been opened.
The nominations will close on Monday 24, October, 2022 and by Friday, 28th October, the Conservatives should have their new Leader who automatically will become the UK’s Prime Minister (PM).
With just about a week for a new Conservative Leader and Prime Minister to be elected, Vaultz News takes a look at the Tory MPs who are most likely to take over from Liz Truss.
Rishi Sunak
The first person is Rishi Sunak, MP for the North Yorkshire Constituency of Richmond. Currently, Sunak appears to be the most favoured amongst Tory MPs to be next Prime Minister.
BBC News interviewed 99 MPs on who they think should be the next leader of the Parliamentary Party. Out of the number, 52 view Sunak as the most qualified for the job at Number 10, Downing Street.
Rishi Sunak was in the race to become Conservative leader and consequently PM after Boris Johnson resigned. In fact, Sunak and Liz Truss were the two finalists presented by the Parliamentary Party to Party members.
Sunak lost the elections after polling 60,399 which represented 47% of the 172,437 Tories who voted. Truss the eventual winner polled 81,326 votes which corresponded to 53%.
Sunak came to Westminster in 2015 and by February 2022, he was Chancellor of Exchequer. Sunak was previously Parliamentary under Secretary for local government under Theresa May from and later, 9th January, Chief Secretary to Treasury when Johnson became PM.
In February, 2020, Johnson appointed him as Chancellor of Exchequer. Sunak was the second member of Boris Johnson’s government to resign. In his 5th of July, 2020, resignation letter, he cited his differences in economic policy with Johnson as the reason for his resignation.
During his time as Chancellor, Sunak had the Coronavirus pandemic to contend with. He had to strike a good balance between spending huge sums of money to combat COVID-19 and yet keeping the economy afloat. Something he did quite well.
Sunak has not yet declared his intention to run to be Tory Leader. But should he run, chances that he will win is very high.
Boris Johnson
Former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is also viewed by many within the Conservative rank and file as a suitable candidate who can take over from Liz Truss.
Mr. Johnson was forced to resign on 7th July, 2022 after many MPs including members of his cabinet revolted against him.
Even though Johnson was pressured to resign just three (3) months ago, BBC reports that, out of the 99 Tory MPs they have spoken with, 30 of them want a Boris Johnson come back.
Boris was first elected to the House of Commons in 2001 as MP for Henly. He was MP for Henly from 2001 to 2008 and later Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. Johnson came back to Westminster again in 2015 this time, as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Theresa May appointed Johnson Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth in July, 2016. Two years later, Johnson resigned citing Theresa May’s approach to Britain’s exit from the European Union as his reason.
On 23rd July, 2019, Boris was elected UK’s Prime Minister. He was in post until he was pressured to resign on July, 7th, 2022.
During his premiership, UK exited the European Union and the COVID-19 pandemic hit the World.
Johnson’s government responded to COVID-19 quite well. They introduced emergency measures that sought to reduce the pandemic’s impact on UK citizens.
With his wits and humour, the Former PM’s appeal spans beyond the Conservative fraternity.
Boris Johnson has also not yet indicated that he will be contesting in the leadership race.
Penny Mordaunt
Penelope Mary Mordaunt has been the Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North since 2010.
She was in Theresa May’s Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development from 2017 to 2019, and later, as Secretary of State for Defense from May to July 2019.
Mordaunt was a Junior Minister during Boris Johnson’s premiership. She was however elevated to Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council under Liz Truss.
In the last Tories leadership race, Mordaunt stood and received strong support from fellow MPs. She however missed out in making the final two.
So far, Penny Mordaunt is the only MP who has declared her intention to run. Out of the 99 Tory MPs BBC has spoken with, she has the support of 17.
“I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest.
“I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister – to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE.”
Penny Mordaunt, MP
How The Leadership Race Will Be Conducted
Sir Graham Brady, Chair of the1922 Committee, said that, MPs who wish to lead the Party must get at least a 100 nominations from fellow Tory MPs.
Since there are 357 Tory MPs in all, it means that, at most only 3 MPs can get the required nominations.
If that becomes the case, then MPs will vote on the three candidates, and the candidate with the least number of votes will be dropped.
The two others will appear on the ballot to be voted for in an online elections by Tory Party members nationwide.
However, if only one candidate gets 100 or more nominations, he becomes the automatic Party Leader and head of government without Party members outside Parliament having to vote.
At Downing Street yesterday, Outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss, indicated that, she had held talks with Sir Graham Brady on the selection of a new Party Leader within the week.
“This morning I met the Chair of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. We’ve agreed that there will be a leadership elections to be completed within the next week”
Liz Truss
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