Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not a candidate to succeed recently retired Conservative leader Liz Truss, reports the BBC. He was expected to make a run for leadership.
With Johnson’s withdrawal, Rishi Sunak is currently the only official candidate for Conservative Party leadership and, with it, British Prime Ministership. Penny Mordaunt previously applied as a candidate, but she has not yet collected the necessary 100 statements of support from Conservative MPs.
Johnson explained his decision in a statement: “There is a very good chance that I would be successful in an election among members of the Conservative Party and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street by Friday. But in the course of the last few days I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that this just wouldn’t be the right choice. You can only govern effectively if you have a united party in parliament.”
Johnson also said he is “in a good position” to take a victory in the 2024 general election.
Only 44 days as head of government
Johnson had garnered enough support to run in elections to become UK leader again. More than 100 MPs from his Conservative Party have already rallied behind Johnson, politician and Johnson supporter James Duddridge said on Twitter yesterday. Johnson returned to London on Saturday from a vacation in the Dominican Republic.
Liz Truss, who recently succeeded Johnson as prime minister, resigned on Thursday, prompting new leadership elections to be held. The successor to scandal-plagued Boris Johnson had only been head of government for 44 days. Boris Johnson was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022. He also previously served as Mayor of London (2008-2016).
‘Great economic crisis’
Rishi Sunak announced today that he has officially announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party and with it the British premiership. “The UK is a great country, but we are facing a major economic crisis. That is why I am running for Conservative Party leadership and as our next Prime Minister. I want to restore the economy, unite our party, and deliver for our country,” Sunak said on Twitter.
According to the British media, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer has managed to get enough supporters within the party to participate in the leadership election. Sunday morning, according to the BBC, the counter stood at 129, well above the 100 required to participate.
If only one candidate has the necessary hundred statements of support on Monday afternoon, that candidate automatically becomes the new party leader and thus also prime minister of Great Britain.
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