LONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Rishi Sunak looks set to become Britain’s next prime minister after Boris Johnson dropped out of the race on Sunday, saying that despite his There was enough support for a final vote, but he realised the UK and the Conservative Party needed to unite.
Johnson rushed home from a Caribbean vacation to try to garner the support of 100 lawmakers to run Monday’s race to replace Lizzie Trae, the woman who replaced him in September after he was forced to resign over a series of scandals. Liz Truss.
He said he had secured the support of 102 MPs and could have “returned to Downing Street”, but he had failed to convince Sunak or another contender, Penny Mordout, to come together “in the interest of the country”.
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“I believe I have a lot to offer, but I’m afraid this is simply not the right time,” Johnson said late Sunday.
By Sunday, the former prime minister had secured the public support of nearly 60 Conservative MPs, well below half of Sunak’s nearly 150 support.
Sterling was up more than half a cent against the dollar in early Asian trade.
Johnson’s announcement could pave the way for his arch-rival, former finance minister Sunak, 42, to become prime minister as soon as Monday. If confirmed, he would replace Truss, who was forced to resign after launching an economic plan that roiled financial markets.
Under the rules, if only one candidate has the support of 100 Conservative MPs, they will be appointed prime minister on Monday.
If two candidates pass the threshold, they will go to a party membership vote and the winner will be announced on Friday, just days before new Treasurer Jeremy Hunt unveils the state’s finances in his upcoming budget plan in October 31.
That has sparked fears that Johnson will return to Downing Street with the support of party members rather than a parliamentary majority, leading to a deep division of the party. Hunter announced his support for Sunak late on Sunday.
Some of Johnson’s supporters may turn to Mordault, the self-proclaimed Unity candidate, but many immediately turned to Sunak. A source close to Mordaunt’s campaign said the former defense secretary would remain in the race.
“She is the unification candidate most likely to keep the Tories together,” the source said.
tear yourself apart
British Conservative MP Rishi Sunak leaves his home address in London, England, October 24, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Johnson has been a prominent figure in British politics since becoming mayor of London in 2008 and the face of the Brexit referendum in 2016. While he led the Conservative Party to a landslide election in 2019, he was forced to step down after just three years in a rebellion by his ministers.
Sunak said he hoped Johnson would continue to contribute to public life “at home and abroad.”
One Sunak supporter, who asked not to be named, said his main reaction was relief because “the party would be divided” if Johnson wins.
Another Conservative MP, Lucy Allen, tweeted: “I support Boris as Prime Minister but I think he’s doing the right thing for the country.”
Johnson’s other supporters jumped ship immediately.
Cabinet Office Minister Nadhim Zahawi published an article praising Johnson on the Daily Telegraph website a few minutes ago, saying “a day is a long time in politics. time”.
“Rich is talented and will have a majority in the Conservative Party in Parliament and will have my full support and loyalty,” he said.
Earlier, many Conservative MPs who normally backed Johnson switched to Sunak, saying the country needed a period of stability after months of turmoil, sparking headlines and causing panic around the world.
Johnson also faces an inquiry by the Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament about Downing Street parties during the COVID-19 lockdown. If found guilty, he could be forced to resign or be suspended.
Sunak first came to national attention when he became finance minister under Johnson at the age of 39, when he arrived in the UK amid the COVID-19 pandemic to set up a furlough scheme to support millions through multiple lockdowns .
“I serve as your prime minister to help steer our economy through the toughest of times,” Sunak said in a statement on Sunday. “The challenges we face now are greater. But if we make the right choices, opportunities exist. amazing.”
If elected, Sunak will become Britain’s first prime minister of Indian origin.
His family moved to the UK in the 1960s, when many people from the former British colonies came here to help rebuild the country after World War II.
After graduating from Oxford, he later went to Stanford University, where he met his wife Akshata Murthy, the son of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, the founder of outsourcing giant Infosys Ltd.
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Writing by Kate Holden; Additional reporting by William Schomberg and Maria Ponnezath; Editing by Toby Chopra and Daniel Wallis
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