The super-fast race to update Liz Truss as Britain’s minister went even crazier on Saturday when former leader Boris Johnson returned to the UK amid the hypothesis that he would run to regain his old task.
Johnson was ousted over a series of ethics scandals just three months ago, but flew to London after his vacation in the Dominican Republic, days after the dramatic resignation of his successor, Liz Truss.
He remains a divisive figure among his fellow conservative lawmakers.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Saturday morning it was “hard to see” how Johnson could return as prime minister as he is “absorbed and distracted” through an ongoing investigation into alleged Downing Street parties while the rest of the country watched COVID. 19 closure regulations and subsequent statements by Johnson to parliament. The new prime minister is expected to be in office until Oct. 28.
Still, Johnson has the public backing of several former cabinet colleagues, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, who tweeted Saturday: “Boris is mandated to deliver our elected manifesto and has a proven track record of making important decisions correctly. “
Johnson wants a hundred lawmakers as of 2 p. m. on Monday to be on the ballot.
Johnson’s former treasury leader Rishi Sunak, who prompted Johnson’s ouster by resigning in protest against his former boss in July, is another likely candidate. Sunak lost to Truss in a vote among rank-and-file members of the Conservative Party just over seven weeks ago. Ago, however, he was heavily pressured by lawmakers in his party. The BBC believes he has already reached the threshold of requirements to be officially declared a candidate.
Sunak’s warning to Truss in the latest leadership race that competitive tax cuts would devalue the pound and raise interest rates was on display beyond this month, touted as a pair of hands that can prop up money markets. The Truss government was forced to oppose almost all the unfunded cuts it had announced.
Conservative lawmaker Helen Grant tweeted that she backed Sunak because of his “economic and organizational competence. “
House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt is the candidate who publicly claims she is running to update Truss, saying in a tweet Friday that she represents “a new beginning. “
Mordaunt, a 49-year-old outgoing Royal Navy reservist who briefly served as the UK’s defence secretary in 2019, is the third favourite. “Splash!” in which the competition will be informed to dive.
Johnson has so far secured the help of six cabinet ministers, adding renowned defense secretary Ben Wallace. But he fell behind Sunak in his publicly declared aid on Saturday, as did Mordaunt. Bookmakers make Sunak the next likely top leader.
The leadership uncertainty comes at a time of slow economic expansion and millions of others are suffering with higher borrowing costs and emerging costs for groceries, fuel and other commodities. Discontent as a recession looms.
Truss resigned Thursday after forty-five turbulent days, admitting he may simply not keep up with his economic program of tax cuts, which he was forced to abandon after causing turbulence in money markets.