Now that the government is in shambles, the bookies and much of Britain are speculating about his likely successor. All the candidates vying for the leadership will go through rounds of voting by Conservative lawmakers until only two remain – at which point Conservative Party members across the country will vote. The winner will be the new party leader — and prime minister.
Here’s a look at the potential contenders.
Rishi Sunak
The former chancellor has been Johnson’s presumptive successor for several months after winning praise for overseeing Britain’s initial financial response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
But he suffered a few scandals of his own while in government.
Sunak’s shares sank earlier this year following revelations that he had breached Covid regulations to attend the Prime Minister’s birthday party on June 19, 2020, for which he later apologized “unreservedly”.
His financial and legal affairs came under scrutiny this spring after reports that his wife did not have UK resident status – meaning she was not liable to pay tax on income abroad – and that he had a US green card. while he was a minister.
His popularity has also suffered in recent weeks as Britain has suffered its worst cost of living crisis in decades. Sunak has struggled to contain spiraling inflation and has been criticized by opposition parties for what they call a slow and inadequate series of fiscal measures. Among the economic woes facing Britons since Sunak’s time as UK finance minister: real wages falling to their lowest levels in more than 21 years and inflation hitting a 40-year high of 9.1% in May . But he is still among the bookies odds-on favorites to take Johnson’s job.
Sajid Javid
“This week we have reason again to question the truth and integrity of what everyone has told us. At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough,” the former health minister told the House of Commons on Wednesday, referring to Pincher’s appointment and allegations.
Something is wrong with the government, he added, and “the problem starts at the top.”
Although Javid’s resignation speech sounded a lot like a bid for prime minister, outlining how to reshape the party for future generations, it is not yet clear whether he will run.
But those backing Javid’s candidacy hope he will be credited with bringing Johnson down for good as he was the first cabinet minister to resign – although Sunak followed minutes later.
The MP has twice stood for party leader in the past – in 2016, after the Brexit referendum, and in 2019, when Johnson was eventually elected.
Liz Truss
The foreign minister, who has shown his leadership ambitions in recent years, can now be in the first position. Liz Truss voted to remain in 2016 but has since become one of the government’s most vocal Eurosceptics, which many attribute to her desire for the top job.
She has a great and dedicated team around her – some of whom have previously worked at Number 10 – who produce slick videos and pictures of her looking downright statesmanlike. She apparently tried to channel former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher by wearing a headscarf while driving a tank, and her role in the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also raised her public profile.
Truss is popular with Conservative members who would pick the eventual winner in a contest. But Johnson’s fall could also tarnish anyone in his cabinet, meaning Conservative voters could turn to someone from the backbench to take up the mantle.
Last month, a Foreign Office source told CNN that Truss had been in “endless meetings with lawmakers” and that “it has been insinuated that she sees what her support base is if the time comes.” Truss’ office has denied there is any secret leadership bid.
Penny Mordaunt
The trade secretary is one of the bookies’ favorites to replace Johnson. A poll of party members published on July 4 by the website Conservative Home put her as the second favorite choice behind current Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.
Mordaunt first entered Parliament in 2010 and later joined Theresa May’s cabinet, serving as Secretary of State for International Development and Defence.
After last month’s confidence vote, Penny Mordaunt refused to comment on whether she had backed Johnson, raising eyebrows among Westminster watchers when she said: “I did not choose this prime minister.”
Tom Tugendhat
Tom Tugendhat, a former British military officer who chairs the foreign affairs committee, has been one of Johnson’s fiercest critics and called on the Conservative Party to abandon its focus on “divisive politics”. Launching his leadership bid on Thursday in The Telegraph newspaper, Tugendhat wrote: “I have served before – in the army and now in parliament. Now I hope to answer the call again as Prime Minister. It’s time for a fresh start. It’s time for renewal.”
He outlined his vision to tackle the cost of living crisis, cut taxes and invest in neglected regions of the UK.
Although he has no experience in the cabinet or in the shadow cabinet, Tugendhat impressed his colleagues with his oratorical skills and seriousness, especially when he spoke about the fall of Afghanistan. He entered parliament in 2015 after serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some key centrist conservatives have already thrown their support behind the relative wildcard, but some worry that his track record is too focused on foreign affairs.
Nadhim Zahawi
Less than two days after being appointed chancellor, replacing Sunak, Nadhim Zahawi publicly called on Johnson to resign. “Do the right thing and leave now,” he said in a statement on Twitter accompanying a letter to the prime minister.
Until his promotion, Zahawi, who joined the cabinet less than a year ago, was considered an unlikely choice to be the next prime minister. But his rise under Johnson has been rapid, with early success as vaccines secretary amid the coronavirus pandemic and then as education secretary.
Despite voting to leave the European Union in 2016, Zahawi is widely admired among moderates in the party. Crucially, as one Conservative source said, “he hasn’t been in government long enough to have any obvious flaws, and although he’s supporting Boris even after the confidence vote, he’s not too tainted by connections”.
Zahawi was born in Iraq to Kurdish parents and came to the UK aged 9 when his family fled Saddam Hussein’s regime. He is believed to be one of the richest politicians in the House of Commons and helped found the polling company YouGov.
Jeremy Hunt
Former health and foreign affairs secretary Jeremy Hunt lost the 2019 leadership vote to Johnson. Since then, he has cast himself as an antidote to Johnson and is arguably the most high-profile contender from the moderate, former Remain side of the party.
In a statement on Twitter ahead of June’s confidence vote, Hunt said: “Anyone who believes that our country is stronger, fairer and more prosperous when led by the Conservatives should consider that the consequence of not changing will be the surrender of the country to others who do not share these values. Today’s decision is change or lose. I will vote for change.”
Tellingly, Hunt’s statement focused mainly on the Conservatives’ chances of electoral success under Johnson rather than on his policies or party scandal – a decision that could be interpreted as a pitch to MPs and Tory members who will decide the election for leadership. But it comes with baggage, and sources in the opposition Labor Party told CNN they are already writing attack lines.
“It can’t be Jeremy. Labor can say he ran health for six years and failed to prepare for a pandemic. They can say that when he was culture minister he contacted the Murdoch family during the phone hacking scandal. He will be crushed,” a senior conservative source told CNN.
Other possible contenders
Ben Wallace: Since being appointed Defense Secretary in 2019, Ben Wallace has won acclaim for his handling of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A former army captain, Wallace managed to avoid scandal and topped a recent Conservative Home poll of potential successors to Johnson. But it’s still unclear if he wants the job. He declined to comment on whether he would run as he spoke to reporters Thursday. Michael Gove: The minister in charge of Johnson’s flagship Equalization program aimed at transforming the UK’s forgotten communities, Michael Gove was sacked from the Cabinet after calling for Johnson to resign. Gove worked closely with Johnson in the 2016 Leave campaign before derailing his bid by running against him for party leader – a move he last month called a “mistake”. He said he won’t run again, but if the past is any indication, he may change his mind. Steve Baker: The anti-Green MP who heads the European Research Group, which is seen as pushing for a hard Brexit, has confirmed he is considering a run for Prime Minister. Steve Baker told the Guardian that if he won, he would scrap environmental protection policies and increase the country’s use and domestic production of gas. Suella Braverman: The attorney general has signaled his intention to run in a future contest. In an interview with ITV, Suella Braverman called for Johnson to step down and said she would enter a leadership race to replace him, saying “it would be the greatest honour”.
CNN’s Jorge Engels in London contributed to this report.
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