Liz Truss, who resigned from her post as Prime Minister on Thursday 20 October, lasted just 44 days in Downing Street in a volatile political and economic context, a record for brevity in British political history.
In a pinch, the Conservative Party chose to resort to an explicit primary to nominate his or her successor, as there was no natural candidate. With one rule: rally the support of at least a hundred bench colleagues in Westminster (out of 357 Conservative MPs) by Monday 24th October. This should make it possible to limit the number of official applications to a maximum of three protagonists.
Applicants will then be decided by their peers and possibly by Tory members in the final stages when three are in the races. The name of Ms Truss’ successor will be known by Friday 28 October.
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Who are the candidates to be replaced by Liz Truss as head of the UK government? Overview of the names that have been circulating the most among conservative MPs and in the press since Thursday evening.
Rishi Sunak, calming figure of household orthodoxy
Rishi Sunak leaves his home in London the day after Liz Truss’ retirement announcement, October 21, 2022. BERESFORD HODGE / AP
Beaten by Liz Truss in the final stages of the Conservative Party leader nomination process, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer (2020-2022) was nonetheless named as the Conservative MPs’ favorite candidate this summer. However, Rishi Sunak remains a solid and likely candidate to take over his ex-rival.
The wealthy former banker, aged 42, embodies the reassuring figure of household orthodoxy. During the Conservative Party’s internal summer campaign, he reiterated that unfunded tax cuts could exacerbate inflation and undermine market confidence, and warned of “fairy tales” represented by his rival’s economic program.
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The facts proved him right. Barely a few weeks after implementing her “mini-budget”, Ms. Truss had to do without it. It included a massive, unfunded tax cut for the rich that quenched financial panic and public discontent.
Still, the former Treasury Secretary faces a major handicap in the eyes of the most conservative Tories: many of Boris Johnson’s supporters see him as a traitor, as his resignation from government in July hastened the demise of the former Downing Street tenant. His desire to raise taxes to fund public services has also drawn criticism from the party’s right wing.
Penny Mordaunt, moderate candidate and charismatic figure
Penny Mordaunt, Speaker of the House of Commons, during Government Questions, answers questions on behalf of Prime Minister Liz Truss, Monday October 17, 2022. JESSICA TAYLOR / AFP
Also a candidate against Liz Truss to succeed Boris Johnson, Penny Mordaunt, current Secretary of State and leader of the House of Commons, was the Conservative activists’ darling early in the campaign before finishing third.
Benefiting from a natural authority and oratorical talent praised by everyone in her party, the former defense secretary, aged 49, explains that the prime minister is “not hiding under a desk”.
In the ranks of the Tories, this former Secretary of State for International Trade (2021-2022) is a moderator. Penny Mordaunt positioned herself in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as a clear break with the latter, whose record and image have been tarnished by scandals. The former prime minister dismissed her as defense minister in 2019 after just three months.
If this moderate position makes her the ideal candidate to soothe divisions within the party, it is also an obstacle for Penny Mordaunt. Indeed, it will be difficult to convince the Tories’ right wing, who refuse to back down despite their champion’s resounding defeat a few months after Boris Johnson’s. It also remains largely unknown to most Britons.
Boris Johnson, a return hypothesis that is confirmed
Boris Johnson during his resignation speech as Prime Minister on July 7, 2022 outside 10 Downing Street in London. KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/AP
The possibility of Boris Johnson returning, just over three months after he was pressed to resign, grew more likely on Friday after rumors circulated in Westminster once Ms Truss had resigned.
The former Prime Minister, who his loved ones say was on holiday in the Caribbean at the time of the announcement, is said to have been quizzing Tory MPs about the possibility of a return and was announced on a plane bound for the UK on Friday morning.
Still popular with party members, “BoJo” would present itself as an apparent throwback to the institutional crisis “in the interests of the country” triggered after his ouster from 10 Downing Street. People close to him emphasize the legitimacy he derives from his electoral victory at the end of 2019 in the most recent elections to date.
But if his candidacy is confirmed he will likely find it difficult to rally a hundred elected supporters. Dozens of Conservative MPs have ousted him, angered by the ‘Partygate’ Downing Street bank holiday scandal, in full sanitary confinement which has cost him his Place.
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His internal and external opponents in the Conservative Party also recall the series of lies and embarrassing affairs that unfolded during his three-year tenure that left deep scars and tarnished the country’s image. Some Tory MPs are even warning they would quit if Mr Johnson returns to power.
As he runs a profitable business as a speaker around the world, it remains to be seen whether Mr Johnson, 58, would be ready to take control of the party two years after the general election, with polls promising a landslide victory for the party. Labor in a deteriorating and worrying economic climate.
Ben Wallace, the highly respected Secretary of Defense
Ben Wallace, Britain’s Defense Secretary, arrives for a meeting of Government officials at Downing Street, London, on October 11, 2022. ALBERTO PEZZALI / AP
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, a heavyweight of the Conservative majority, announced on Friday he was “more inclined” to replace Liz Truss at 10 Downing Street with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Even if he has ruled out going into the race himself for the time being, he still qualified: “But you know, there are still a few days left, we’ll see what happens. »
The Defense Secretary, who has been in office since 2019, was one of the favorites in the last Conservative Party election campaign and chose not to run to focus on UK security. He then supported Liz Truss in the race.
But for a few days now, the name Ben Wallace has been reappearing as a possible unitary figure for the party. His experience at the helm of a key ministry, particularly in the midst of the war in Ukraine, and his lengthy tenure in office also contribute to his standing, both within the Conservative ranks and among the British public.
However, the 52-year-old dismissed the scenario of running before Ms Truss’ effective resignation on Thursday after a week’s deteriorating situation for her. He assured the Times on Tuesday, October 18, that he wanted to remain in his portfolio despite speculation. But the development of the political situation could make him reconsider his position.
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