Britain’s Conservatives are thrown into “a frantic race”in the words of the BBCto find a new leader, following the resignation, Thursday, October 20, of British Prime Minister Liz Truss, after only forty-four days in Downing Street. “This will be the second election for the leadership of the party in four months”underlines the string.
The chairman of the 1922 committee, in charge of organizing the Conservative Party, Graham Brady, specified that the next head of government would be appointed by October 28.
The names of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are circulating
Under Conservative Party rules, details the BBCcandidates for the Tory leadership must obtain the support of 100 deputies to be able to compete, “which means”, as there are 357 Conservative MPs, “that a maximum of three candidates can present themselves”. A first round of voting will be organized among the deputies, and if there are three candidates, the one with the fewest votes will be eliminated. “If a second round is necessary, the deputies will be able to indicate their preference via an indicative vote. And if both candidates choose to remain in the race, the final decision will be up to party members via online voting.”
No candidate presented himself officially on Thursday. But according to The Telegraphformer Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned at the end of July, swept away by the “Partygate” scandal, “privately urges Tory MPs to back him for a dramatic return to Downing Street, promising that only he can win the Tories in the next election.” “Johnson’s return to the political arena would further divide the Conservative Party, with at least three MPs set to leave the party rather than serve under him again”however, believes The Times.
For the Financial Timesit is the former Minister of Finance Rishi Sunak, unsuccessful candidate against Liz Truss this summer, who “is now the big favourite” to succeed him, after this mandate marked by “economic and political turmoil”. However, the newspaper warns, the 42-year-old could struggle to bring together a deeply divided party. “Because of the part he played in the downfall of Boris Johnson” by resigning from the post of Minister of Finance, he is not appreciated by certain MPs and members of the Conservative Party.
Other names are circulating, including those of Minister Penny Mordaunt, who also ran for the leadership of the party this summer, or former Interior Minister Suella Braverman.
L’opposition acall for general elections
Following Mr.me Truss, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer and other opposition parties have called for an immediate general election. The conservative Party “no longer has a mandate to govern”denounced Sir Keir Starmer.
“After twelve years in power, note it BBC, the Conservative Party trails Labor in the polls.” The next general election should not normally take place before at least 2024, while the Conservatives won an overwhelming majority in the last ballot, in 2019, the channel recalls.