Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not running for re-election
Speculation on Boris Johnson’s comeback
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who left office after a series of scandals, is reported to have enough support in his party to run for re-election. Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is currently the favorite for the new Prime Minister’s post.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that he will not run again for the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party. Former finance minister Rishi Sunak is the most promising candidate for Downing Street.
DFormer British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that he will not run for the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party again. Johnson said on Sunday evening that although he has the support of more than 100 MPs as a candidate, he will not take part in an internal party vote after Lis Truss. After his resignation, former finance minister Rishi Sunak is now the favorite for the party and government leadership and could already be the winner from Monday.
Johnson resigned as Prime Minister in July amid a series of scandals. Truss succeeded him in a protracted intra-party contest, but he resigned last Thursday after six weeks in office, citing his failed fiscal and economic policies and his massive loss of power with the ruling Tories.
Rumors soon arose that Johnson would be his successor. Indeed, the former prime minister returned from a holiday in the Caribbean, campaigned for the support of Tory colleagues in the House of Commons and held talks with the other two contenders for the party and government leadership – in addition to Sunak, the responsible minister. Parliamentary Issues, Benny Mordant.
Johnson claimed he had the support of 102 peers, a minimum of 100 Tory MPs to enter the party election. Put him over the limit of signatures. But Sunak knows he has more supporters behind him. Therefore, Johnson said, “You cannot govern without a united party in Parliament.”
The former prime minister added that he is still “well placed” to deliver victory for the Conservatives at the next general election in 2024. Even in an intraparty race, Johnson said, he would have won against his rivals. But in the past few days, he’s come to the sad realization that “it’s not going to be right.” So, it is better not to be nominated but to support the person who wins in the end. However, Johnson hasn’t ruled out a comeback later. “I think I have a lot to offer, but I’m afraid it’s not the right time.”
Johnson’s prospect caused unrest in the party
The prospect of Johnson’s possible candidacy further unsettled an already deeply divided Conservative Party. His supporters remember Tory’s landslide victory in the 2019 general election and still see him as a vote-guarantee. But many critics warned that another Johnson government would spell disaster for the party and the country. Steve Baker, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland and a former Johnson supporter, has argued that Johnson still faces an investigation into whether he lied to parliament about lockdown parties held in Downing Street during his tenure. If Johnson is found guilty, it will be his MP.
Sunak is now the clear favorite for the Tory presidency and prime ministership. According to an unofficial count, he has the support of more than 140 MPs. Mordaunt supports less than 30 people. The 357 Tory MPs plan to hold a preliminary vote on the candidates on Monday. If Mordant does not get at least 100 votes, Sunak will become the next party and government leader. If both meet the threshold, 172,000 party members decide in an online poll, with the winner announced the following Friday.
Under Johnson, Chung held the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer and steered the British economy ailing through the coronavirus pandemic. In July, he resigned in protest against the scandal-plagued Johnson. Soon after, under pressure from further exits from his cabinet, Johnson himself resigned.
In the succession race for the leadership of the party and the government, Sunak and Truss were the finalists. In the debates, he criticized Truss’ promises of immediate tax cuts as a careless “fairy tale” and declared that runaway inflation must be brought under control first. Tory voters ultimately chose Truss, but Sunak was proved right. The Truce’s unfunded tax plans and their subsequent sacking of Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng sent financial markets into turmoil in September. Now Sunak can quickly take on the task of stabilizing Britain’s economy.
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