Conservative members will have till 5 p.m. to pick between Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss as the future prime minister before the vote for the leadership of the party closes this afternoon.
After Boris Johnson announced his retirement in the wake of a Tory MP uprising, the eight-week race to succeed him in Downing Street will come to a conclusion at tea time.
In the last round of the leadership race between Ms. Truss and Mr. Sunak, around 160,000 Tory members cast ballots. The outcome of the poll will be disclosed at a Westminster event on Monday at noon.
Ms. Truss is anticipated to use this weekend to continue preparing for her inauguration as the next Tory leader, according to widespread predictions.
However, Mr. Sunak’s ally argued this morning that the race was still “neck and neck” and that the outcome was not “clear and white.”
The next PM will be chosen in what manner?
Around 160,000 grassroots Tory members will have had the opportunity to choose between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak as the next prime minister at 5 p.m. today.
12.30 p.m. on Monday: On the first day that MPs return to Parliament following the summer break, the outcome of the Tory leadership contest is scheduled to be disclosed at a Westminster location.
On Tuesday at 8:30 a.m., Boris Johnson is scheduled to deliver a farewell address from Downing Street before going to Balmoral in Scotland to formally resign from his position.
He will go to Scotland aboard the smaller of the two official government aircraft, while his replacement will travel independently.
Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.: Mr. Johnson will have officially submitted his resignation, allowing Her Majesty to choose his successor.
While Mr. Johnson makes his own travel arrangements, the new PM will fly to London on a government aircraft, maybe while completing their first official business.
Tuesday at 4 p.m.: The new prime minister is anticipated to deliver their first remarks to the country from outside of Number 10.
Wednesday morning: The freshly chosen Cabinet will probably meet with the incoming PM.
On Wednesday at 12 p.m., the new prime minister will stand before the House of Commons for the first time in their capacity as prime minister.
After Ms Truss has regularly been ahead of her opponent in the leadership race, a victory for Mr. Sunak would surprise Westminster and the rest of the nation.
Regardless of whichever is declared the winner on Monday, they will have a hectic first 48 hours of this week when they begin their reign.
Tuesday’s trip to Scotland’s Balmoral will be necessary before they can be properly installed as prime minister by the monarch.
The Queen has selected new premiers at Buckingham Palace during Her Majesty’s 70-year rule.
However, in case the queen has mobility problems on the day, royal aides have opted to forgo the trip to London next week.
After returning from their meeting with the Queen in the late afternoon on Tuesday, the new PM is then anticipated to deliver their first speech to the country from outside the door of Number 10.
Prior to their first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, they will probably start selecting key ministers for their new government.
If Ms. Truss is elected as the next prime minister, Kwasi Kwarteng is largely believed to take over as her next chancellor.
The first round of Prime Minister’s Questions will then be held at noon on Wednesday, when the new premier will first square off against Sir Keir Starmer of Labour.
Less than 1,000 days remain until the next PM must call a general election. They will need to decide how to offer further help to families through the cost-of-living crisis, how to prepare the NHS for winter, and how to maintain British support for Ukraine.
After this summer’s brutal leadership race, which was characterised by a number of “blue on blue” assaults, the next Tory leader will also have to overcome the problem of bringing the party back together.
This weekend, the Foreign Secretary is anticipated to conduct last meetings with her staff to consider important appointments, what she will say in her first address as Prime Minister, and how she would handle the pressing issue of skyrocketing energy costs.
But even though it is widely believed that Ms. Truss will be seeing the Queen on Tuesday, supporters of Mr. Sunak were still holding out hope for a surprise outcome today.
Former chancellor supporter and Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake said Mr. Sunak had been gaining favour with Tory members during the leadership contest.
I’ve seen various surveys, both local and national, he said to Sky News. Because there isn’t an accessible database, I believe it is fairly difficult for pollsters to distinguish between Conservative members and those who aren’t.
But I am aware of who my are. I surveyed my 700 members, 239 of whom responded—roughly a third of them—and Rishi received an eight-point advantage.
And I have seen polls of a similar kind in other seats around the nation. So, in my opinion, he is not clear-cut. He’s definitely neck and neck, in my opinion.