Rishi Sunak, former finance minister, in London on May 27. He is running for leadership of the Conservative Party to succeed Boris Johnson. JOHN SIBLEY / R
Maneuvers began on Friday July 8 to replace British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after he resigned due to an unprecedented political crisis. His former finance minister, Rishi Sunak, was one of the first to position himself as the head of the conservative party and thus the head of government for his successor.
“I’m running to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister. Let’s restore confidence, rebuild the economy and bring the country together,” he said on Twitter. “My values are non-negotiable, patriotism, justice and hard work,” he added in a video highlighting the importance of his family.
I will be the next leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister. Let’s restore trust, let’s rebuild… https://t.co/49hU70wWrN
—RishiSunak (@Ready for Rishi)
Avalanche of descents
Rishi Sunak, 42, who is believed to be one of the favorites in the race, announced his on Tuesday resignationapparently without warning Boris Johnson, in the wake of fellow health officer Sajid Javid, following a new scandal.
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Her departure sparked a hemorrhage of other departures from more or less senior members of the executive branch, which ended on Thursday with the resignation of Mr Johnson, who was sacked by his government, which was fed up with the scandals and its repeated lies, which spanned the two years and 349 marked days in office.
If the Prime Minister has resigned from the Conservative Party leadership, he has not yet left Downing Street and has said he will remain in power pending the appointment of his successor. This situation, which could last until autumn, is making people cringe as the country faces record inflation of 9%, the worst of the G7 countries, and a surge in social movements amid the war in Ukraine.
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Mr Johnson “is a proven liar who has drowned in corruption, we cannot go on like this for two more months,” Deputy Opposition Labor Party Leader Angela Rayner said on Friday, calling for an incumbent Prime Minister BBC. “If they don’t, we are very clear that we will table a motion of no confidence before the parliamentary recess,” she added on July 22.
Probate details on Monday
However, Mr Johnson’s spokesman ruled out that Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab would take over as an interim. “The Prime Minister is acting in accordance with the Convention. He will remain prime minister until a new party leader is in place and government work will continue during that time,” he said.
New Education Secretary James Cleverly assured that the process of appointing the new Conservative leader would be carried out “professionally but swiftly”. However, some elected officials fear a chaotic summer.
Following his resignation, Mr Johnson gave assurances that his hastily restored government (12 ministers and secretaries of state were appointed on Thursday and seven on Friday) would not seek to implement new policies or make major changes. The big budget decisions will be left to the next prime minister.
Details of his successor’s process will be announced Monday by the 1922 Committee, a Conservative faction. The appointment of the party’s new leader, who is set to become Prime Minister – the party with the majority in the House of Commons – has to come before the party’s annual congress on October 2 in Birmingham.
Several potential ex-members
MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, has also declared himself a candidate. Attorney General Suella Braverman also expressed interest.
Among the candidates approached, the most suitable Secretary of Defense would be Ben Wallace. Next are Rishi Sunak, Foreign Trade Secretary Penny Mordaunt, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
And already the knives are out: Jacob Rees-Mogg, loyal to Boris Johnson, whose Secretary for Brexit Opportunities he is, launched an attack in good standing on Friday against Mr Sunak, whose resignation would have infuriated Boris Johnson. “Rishi Sunak failed as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was a high-tax chancellor who wasn’t aware of the inflation problem,” he said before his candidacy was announced.
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In announcing his resignation, Mr Johnson, 58, had no word on the unprecedented spate of departures in 48 hours or the turbulence of his tenure and allegations that expose his lies and lack of integrity. He said he was “immensely proud” of his record and denounced the “powerful herd instinct” at Westminster, a direct attack on those who had deserted him en masse.