The lightning-fast race to replace Liz Truss as British Prime Minister got even wilder on Saturday (local time) as former leader Boris Johnson jetted back to the UK amid speculation he will run to reclaim his former job.
Three months ago, Johnson was fired due to a slew of ethics problems, yet only days after his replacement, Liz Truss, abruptly resigned, Johnson took a flight back to London from his vacation in the Dominican Republic.
He continues to be unpopular with his fellow Conservative lawmakers.
Former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab stated on Saturday morning that Johnson’s statements to parliament following the alleged parties at Downing Street while the rest of the country was under Covid-19 lockdown rules and the ongoing inquiry into those events made it “difficult to see” how Johnson could become prime minister once more. By October 28, the new prime minister should be in position.
Johnson has the support of a number of other former Cabinet members, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, who tweeted on Saturday that Johnson has the authority to carry out the election’s platform and a track record of making the correct important decisions.
Before Monday at 2 p.m., Johnson needs the support of 100 lawmakers in order to be included on the ballot.
Another potential candidate is Rishi Sunak, Johnson’s former Treasury chief, who forced Johnson’s resignation in July by resigning in protest at his superior. Just over seven weeks ago, Sunak was defeated by Truss in a ballot of Conservative Party grassroots members, despite having substantial backing from his party’s parliamentarians. According to the BBC, he has already attracted enough support to be properly designated a contender.
Early this month, Sunak’s prediction that extreme tax cuts would cause the pound to lose value and for interest rates to surge came true, and now he is being positioned as a responsible leader who can stabilise financial markets. Later, the Truss administration was compelled to undo almost all of the announced unfunded cuts.
Helen Grant, a conservative politician, tweeted that Sunak had her support once more due to his “economic and organisational abilities.”
The only candidate to officially register their candidacy to succeed Truss is House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, who tweeted on Friday that she offers “a fresh start.”
The third favourite among bookies is Mordaunt, a straightforward 49-year-old reservist in the Royal Navy who temporarily held the position of UK defence secretary in 2019. She is likely best recognised outside of Conservative circles for appearing on the diving reality TV programme “Splash!” in 2014, where candidates are taught how to dive.
Six Cabinet members, including respected Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, have so far endorsed Johnson. But on Saturday, he and Mordaunt were falling short of Sunak in terms of openly expressed support. Sunak is projected by bookmakers to be the next leader.
During a period of slow economic growth and as millions of people struggle with higher borrowing costs, rising prices for food, petrol, and other necessities, there is doubt about the leadership.
A increasing wave of strikes by lawyers, railroad and postal workers, and other professionals has exposed growing unhappiness as a recession approaches.
Truss quit Thursday after a turbulent 45 days, conceding that she could not deliver on her tax-cutting economic package, which she was forced to abandon after it caused turmoil in financial markets..
With speculation that he will seek for prime minister, Boris Johnson returns to the United Kingdom.
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