Rishi Sunak, who pledged to “establish trust, rebuild the economy, and reunite the country,” has formally announced his candidacy to succeed Boris Johnson.
The former chancellor promised today that his Tory leadership campaign would be built on “patriotism, fairness, and hard work” in a polished video.
The 42-year-old also unveiled a website as part of a very professional campaign launch, with the tagline “Ready For Rishi,” as he seeks to enter the race for the next prime minister early in what could turn out to be a bloody contest.
“Our country faces enormous difficulties, the most serious in a generation,” Mr. Sunak remarked. Someone needs to seize this opportunity and choose wisely.
“Because the decisions we make now will determine whether the British people of tomorrow have better possibilities than those of today.”
Less than three days after he abruptly resigned as chancellor in a move that helped Mr. Johnson lose his position as prime minister, Mr. Sunak launched his campaign. The professional character of this raises doubts about how long Mr. Sunak has been preparing a leadership bid.
It was suggested that Mr. Sunak and Sajid Javid coordinated their shocking resignations from Mr. Johnson’s Cabinet because Mr. Sunak’s resignation as Treasury head came on Tuesday night just minutes after Sajid Javid’s resignation as health minister.
In his letter of resignation to Mr. Johnson, Mr. Sunak openly questioned the PM’s ability and sincerity.
Additionally, he discussed the “fundamental” contrasts in economic policy between himself and Mr. Johnson.
In his campaign film, the former chancellor seemed to take another shot at the departing prime minister.
Mr. Sunak questioned: “Do we confront this moment with honesty, seriousness, and determination?” Britain is currently experiencing a cost-of-living crisis, and households are being hit by skyrocketing inflation.
Or do we tell ourselves reassuring stories that may make us feel better right now but will harm our kids later on?
“Someone has to seize this opportunity and take the proper actions,”
Yesterday, after the PM announced his resignation on the steps of Number 10, Mr. Sunak spent the evening with influential Conservatives at the Spectator magazine’s summer party.
The struggle for success
With worries that the Conservative Party would fall into disarray for months, Mr. Johnson runs the risk of becoming a mudslinging “wacky races” candidate.
Following the shock resignation of the prime minister, more than a dozen MPs are considering running for the position of leader, and ministers are concerned that they may “shred one other to pieces” to gain an advantage.
Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, officially announced his initiative earlier today, promising “change” and making suggestions that he would lower gasoline taxes and national insurance.
However, “Blue-on-Blue” attacks have already started, with Mr. Tugendhat being criticized for being “too left wing” and “dodgy on Brexit.” Ben Wallace is the “son of Boris,” according to an MP who spoke to MailOnline, and “just knows about defense.”
Some overly critical coworkers believe Sajid Javid’s chance has already passed because he “totally lost the room” while making his resignation announcement in the Commons.
In addition, opponents are deriding Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who has jetted back from Indonesia to launch her campaign, as “bad, angry, and plainly dangerous to know.”
As a contender who can win seats in both the South and the Red Wall, Ms. Truss is anticipated to position herself as the “female Boris” in the Tory leadership contest. However, she has previously been derided as a “Poundshop Thatcher” by detractors.
Other MPs told MailOnline that Priti Patel had failed to address the Channel migrant crisis, leaving them indecisive about who to support.
Despite Mr. Javid’s reputation, a cranky floating voter claimed they would be unable to support him because he is “quite wooden.” One rival also criticized Rishi Sunak, saying that it is “not evident from his record that he’s got an economic plan or is a tax cutter.”
Suella Braverman, the attorney general, was criticized for having “little name recognition” with the general public, while former minister Steve Baker was described as occasionally prone to crying by a backbencher. We don’t want a prime minister who blubs a lot.
The Gillingham MP, Rehman Chishti, has also astonished colleagues by joking that he might add his name to the lengthy list.
With a humorous announcement of his candidacy today, backbencher Mark Jenkinson encapsulated the sentiment of many.
He made the joke that he had “asked advice from those I can trust to throw smoke up my a***.”
In his letter, he stated, “That, when measured against my own inflated sense of self-importance, compels me to decide that I should throw my hat in the ring and run for election as Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.”
“I shall be available to promise you the moon on a stick for the next six weeks.” You can get it by asking. Let me worry about managing a 160-member government and three chancellors. I am the best candidate since I have the answers to those questions.
Nadhim Zahawi and Penny Mordaunt are two additional lawmakers who are thinking about running.
Despite the fact that the PM’s resignation was only officially announced yesterday, many of the candidates have been ramping up their campaigns for months and have spent the past week feverishly finalizing their teams.
However, a lot will rely on the precise contest rules, which are scheduled to be approved by the able 1922 committee leadership next week.
They are reportedly considering upping the number of MP nominations required to be on the ballot, which might exclude some less well-liked choices.
The list will be whittled down by MPs in a series of votes over the course of the next two weeks, and then the membership will vote on the last two candidates in a run-off.
The larger party does not, however, always have a voice; in 2016, Theresa May was re-elected without opposition when her previous opponent, Andrea Leadsom, withdrew.
In a series of interviews this morning, James Cleverly, the recently appointed education secretary, said it was “appropriate” that Mr. Johnson resigned and demanded a “rapid” leadership election.
“It’s right that he has stood down and that he has put a team in place to continue leading while the selection process flows for his successor,” he told Sky News.
“And I think we should move along with that fairly swiftly, fairly promptly.”
Mr. Johnson “has emphasized that he is not going to make judgments that would limit the options for his successor, that would be wrong,” the speaker continued.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the 1922 committee’s treasurer, cautioned that the choice should be made by the entire membership.
According to him, there is a lot of competitiveness in this situation, he said on the BBC’s Today program.
And if it didn’t go to the membership in the nation, I would be astonished.
“I honestly believe that given the current state of the party’s division, it is a good thing that it goes to the membership so they get a chance to voice their opinions and cast votes,” the speaker said.
There have been calls for Mr. Johnson to resign immediately, but Sir Geoffrey stated that he thought “that ship has sailed” and that he will continue in his role as prime minister until a replacement is chosen.
I believe that ship has left port. Everyone on this board, I believe, determined yesterday that Boris Johnson should stay, and he has made it quite clear that he won’t be making any significant changes during that time. I believe that to be a positive thing, he added.
It will be a little embarrassing for those ministers who are returning in a caretaker capacity after having resigned from their positions.
In a perfect world, Dominic Raab, as deputy prime minister, would have served as the acting prime minister. However, that ship, in my opinion, has sailed, and we must now accept that Boris Johnson will serve as prime minister until a replacement can be chosen.
This country needs a fresh start, according to Mr. Tugendhat, who wrote in today’s Telegraph: “A government that will make trust, service, and an unwavering focus on the cost of living problem its guiding principles.”
That is what the British people demand, and that is the standard by which we shall be evaluated. Without a fresh start, untainted by the past, but also with proven experience and leadership, it cannot be accomplished.
According to Mr. Tugendhat, “taxes are simply too high and there is a developing consensus within the party that they must be reduced.”
“We should immediately repeal the most recent increase in national insurance and allow hard-working individuals and businesses to keep more of their earnings.” The fuel tax must be reduced.
Additionally, tariffs that are not conservative and raise consumer prices should be eliminated.
The conclusion of yesterday’s cabinet meeting reportedly involved ministers banging tables in remembrance of Mr. Johnson.
Conservatives have been speculating that whoever wins the election will have to deal with Johnson causing them problems.
He is a really charismatic individual, one person said. He is a well-known person in the globe and a rock star. He won’t vanish into the background, I promise.
However, a different MP told MailOnline that Mr. Johnson’s statements will no longer be taken seriously: “I don’t know if anyone would want him to support them today,”
Johnson had an 80-seat majority, and one of his supporters said: “I’m unhappy with him. He could have done everything with that majority, but he’s blown it.”
One former minister commented, “There is nobody who enthuses me significantly.”
After Theresa, everyone anticipated that Boris would win. However, this time around, nobody actually exists.
The voters simply don’t know a lot of people. Even after twelve years in office, they are not well-known.
Some Conservatives worried that Mr. Wallace lacked the range of interests necessary to advance further.
One MP remarked, “He is spot on when it comes to defense, but how much does he know about economic policy?”
Concern over Mr. Zahawi’s actions this week, after accepting the position of Chancellor only to demand that Mr. Johnson leave within 48 hours, is also present on the Tory benches.
According to a senior Conservative, “Nadhim has harmed himself very badly over the last few days,”
“The entire Nasty Nadhim situation.”
Ms. Truss, who cut short a trip to a G20 gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia yesterday, will arrive in Britain this afternoon.
The minister will make the case that she can hold together the coalition of people who supported Mr. Johnson at the 2019 general election when he won with a landslide majority. She is already finalizing arrangements for her campaign.
She is well-liked in both the Red Wall and the Lib Dem-facing marginals we need to hang onto, according to a close ally last night.
Ms. Truss will claim that she is a “low-tax” Conservative who will “get the economy rolling again” in a dig at Mr. Sunak, who increased national insurance.
She has a ton of experience and is adept at navigating complicated policy via Whitehall, the ally continued. She is strong, reliable, and effective.
After exploring a leadership bid with his family, Defence Secretary Mr. Wallace has decided to run for president as well.
The 52-year-old ex-Army officer is anticipated to announce his plans soon. As a result of a study of Conservative Party members, he has become the front-runner.
In a YouGov poll, the father of three who is divorced came out on top with 13% of the vote, narrowly beating out Miss Mordaunt with 12%, Mr. Sunak with 10%, and Miss Truss with 8%.
Jeremy Hunt, the former foreign secretary who lost to Mr. Johnson in the 2019 Tory leadership race, finished in last place with 5%, the same as Mr. Zahawi, the incoming chancellor.
Following the poll, the bookmakers made Mr. Wallace the favorite.
The Member of Parliament for Wyre and Preston North has received praise from all political corners for how he has handled the conflict in Ukraine.
Before being sacked by Mr. Johnson, Miss Mordaunt was the first female defense secretary. She already has a campaign staff in place.
The wholesale departure that finally undermined Mr. Johnson’s authority began on Tuesday with the resignations of Mr. Sunak and Mr. Javid from the Cabinet.
Prior to the revelation earlier this year that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes, Mr. Sunak was seen as a front-runner for the Tory nomination. His establishment of a temporary campaign base in a Westminster hotel was reportedly announced last night.
Grant Shapps, the secretary of transportation, and former health secretary Mr. Javid are reportedly considering running.
Rivals yesterday night boasted that Mr. Zahawi’s campaign was “coming apart” since he accepted the position of Chancellor only to demand the resignation of Mr. Johnson the following day.
However, his associates predicted that he would present himself as a successful former businessman who had overseen the distribution of the Covid vaccination in Britain.
Backbencher and chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee Mr. Tugendhat, a former Territorial Army officer, has already secured the support of several prominent Tories, including Damian Green, Theresa May’s former deputy.
Kemi Badenoch, who resigned as a Levelling Up Minister on Wednesday, was said to be “seriously considering running” last night, it was revealed.
‘Some MPs are pressing Kemi to run, and she has started the process of taking soundings,’ a source close to the 42-year-old, who was first elected to Parliament in 2017.
She is talking to MPs to see what qualities they want in a future leader and to determine if she possesses them.
According to a poll conducted yesterday night, Mr. Sunak is the only front-runner capable of defeating Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, in a head-to-head matchup. In the JL Partners survey, Mr. Javid, who was three points behind Sir Keir, was his main competitor.