Rishi Sunak Is Next UK PM If Boris Johnson Can’t Get 100 Votes By Monday
London:
Former British finance minister Rishi Sunak could become the country’s next prime minister if his rivals Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt fail to win the support of 100 MPs by tomorrow. Sunak had the backing of 142 members of parliament.
Boris Johnson, who was sacked in July and left office in September, currently has the backing of 59 MPs. Penny Mordaunt has 29.
If both Johnson and Mordaunt fail to garner the support of 100 MPs by Monday, Rishi Sunak will automatically become prime minister.
Under the rules announced on Thursday, up to three Tory MPs will be able to run, as the party has set a threshold of 100 MPs so that candidates can even be on the ballot and have a total 357 MPs in the party.
Should a tripartite conflict arise, MPs will hold a nomination vote on Monday to put the final two candidates on the shortlist for an emergency online vote of around 170,000 members. Tory members, with a new leader elected next Friday.
Rishi Sunak officially announced his candidacy today, saying he aims to repair the economy, unite the party and “devote to the country”.
Johnson and Sunak met last night amid speculation about a deal between the two, despite the bitterness caused by Sunak’s role in Johnson’s downfall as prime minister. There were no clear results from those discussions and no mention of Johnson in today’s Sunak announcement.