Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, is currently the favourite to become Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister (PM) of the UK.
After his closest contender for the Premiership, Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson pulled out of the race yesterday, October 23rd, 2022, Sunak is now by far the favourite to emerge Prime Minister.
Boris Johnson who cut short his vacation in the Caribbean to come and garner supporters for his second Premiership bid, indicated that, he had 102 Members of Parliament (MPs) supporting him as at yesterday. That is, he had even crossed the threshold of 100 supporters needed for a prospective Party leader to appear on the ballot paper.
That not withstanding, Johnson decided against pressing on with his bid. Though he is the most popular amongst Party members outside Parliament, Johnson dropped out because, no one can “govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.”
“There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.
But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.”
Boris Johnson
Presently, Rishi Sunak has the highest support in Parliament. According to all major News Agencies, Sunak has the support of over165 MPs. So, although Johnson may win the premiership should Conservative members outside Parliament vote, he fears he wouldn’t get the needed support from MPs to govern efficiently.
The Former Prime Minister however indicated a possibility of returning to Number 10, Downing Street someday. He said, “I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024.” And added, “I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”
Both Sunak and Mordaunt have praised Boris Johnson’s decision to back out and to support whoever emerges victorious.
“Boris Johnson delivered Brexit and the great vaccine roll-out. He led our country through some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced, and then took on Putin and his barbaric war in Ukraine. We will always be grateful to him for that.”
Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad.”
Rishi Sunak
How the Next PM Will Be Determined
On Friday, October 21st, 2022, Sir Graham Brady, Chair of 1922 Committee announced the opening of nominations for the post of Conservative Leader. He mentioned that, candidates must get a minimum of 100 nominations from MPs and that nominations close at exactly 14:00GMT on Monday, 24th October, 2022.
As things stand now, there are only two contenders in the race. Former Chancellor of Exchequer, Rishi Sunak and the Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt.
The Guardian reports that, currently, over 165 MPs have declared their support for Sunak. Mordaunt on the other hand, has only about 30 MPs openly declaring their support for her.
BBC reports that at around 10:00 BST, that is 9:00GMT, Sunak’s supporters were about 177 MPs whereas Mordaunt’s supporters were 26.
It’s being reported on all major News portals that the Former Chancellor is way ahead of his rival.
If by 14:00GMT, Rishi Sunak is the only Conservative MP to have gotten the support of a 100 or more MPs, then, he automatically becomes the Leader of the Parliamentary Party and subsequently, the monarch of England, King Charles III, will confer on him the status of Prime Minister.
Regardless of the current situation, Mordaunt supporters are claiming that the Leader of the House of Commons has the needed 100 supporters to appear on the ballot sheet.
ITV Political Journalist, Paul Brand said, Mordaunt’s team claimed they have up to 100 endorsements.
“Penny Mordaunt’s team are briefing that they have the numbers this morning. I asked why we can’t see 100 names but they say a lot of the endorsements are remaining private. We’ll find out shortly I guess.”
Paul Brand, Political Editor ITV
But supporters of Sunak are insinuating that, Mordaunt and her team know they have lost out on the premiership. Mordaunt is only holding on because, she hopes to get ‘something big’ in Sunak’s government if she doesn’t give up easily.
“Senior Sunak supporter tells me those around Penny Mordaunt knows the game is up.
“But, she’s not up for it. She thinks she can win. It’s ego. The longer she holds out, the more she thinks Rishi will give her something big. But it’s the other way round and she can’t see it.”
Theo, Usherwood, Political Editor of LBCNews
Whatever the case maybe, by14:00GMT today, we will know if Conservative Party members in the UK will be voting to decide who their Party leader and Prime Minister should be on Friday, 28th October, 2022. Or, there won’t be a need to vote because, only one candidate reached the threshold of a 100 supports from Parliament.
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