More than a dozen MPs have declared their support for former chancellor Rishi Sunak to become prime minister following Boris Johnson’s resignation. Former Tory party co-leader Oliver Dowden is among seven MPs who have backed Mr Sunak’s leadership bid on Twitter using the hashtag #ready4rishi. In a statement shared on social media, he said: “Rishi is the best man to lead our country and arguably the best man to beat Labour. That’s why I support him to be our next prime minister.” Others who tweeted their support included Dr Liam Fox, Mark Harper, Paul Maynard, Sir Bob Neill, Mel Strid and Jacob Young. Another seven are also backing Mr Sunak, according to reports, bringing the total to at least 14. Mr Sunak launched his bid to become the new Tory leader with a promise to rebuild trust after Mr Johnson’s tumultuous premiership. “Someone has to seize this moment and make the right decisions,” he said in a campaign video posted on social media. Following Mr Sunak’s announcement, bookies Ladbrokes installed him as joint favorite to succeed Mr Johnson, along with Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. Yesterday, Tom Tugendhat was officially nominated for the leadership of the party.
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Kemi Badenoch launches Tory leadership bid with promise of tax cuts
Former Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch has been put forward as a candidate to become the new leader of the Conservative Party as Prime Minister, promising “limited government”. The Saffron Walden MP said she supported lower taxes “to stimulate growth and productivity and to be accompanied by strict spending discipline”.
Kemi Badenoch launches Tory leadership bid with promise of tax cuts
MP promises ‘limited government’ and says Boris Johnson was ‘symptom’ of nation’s problems Chiara Giordano 9 July 2022 09:10 1657353311
The MP who gave Boris Johnson the middle finger has been promoted to Education Secretary
A pro-Brexit MP who gave the middle finger to Boris Johnson protesters after he resigned has been named Education Secretary. Andrea Jenkyns, a Johnson loyalist, shouted “wait and see” to the crowds who turned out to watch his resignation. Waving her finger in the air for emphasis, Ms Jenkins appeared to defy the revelers, shouting: “Those who laugh last, laugh loudest.” Jane Dalton has the full story:
MP who gave protesters the middle finger has been promoted to Minister of Education
“I look forward to you teaching our children good manners,” says the critic Chiara Giordano July 9, 2022 08:55 1657352411
Tory MP Rehman Chisti confirms he is ‘actively considering’ running for leader
Tory MP Rehman Chisti has confirmed he is “actively considering” running for leader. The newly appointed foreign secretary tweeted quotes attributed to him by the BBC, saying: “We need leaders who better reflect modern Britain and can provide solutions to the challenges our nation now faces.” Chiara Giordano 9 July 2022 08:40 1657351511
Tory leadership hopefuls ‘shouldn’t knock each other’
Sir Charles Walker said it was up to those running for the Tory leadership “not to knock lumps out of each other”. He added that he hoped some of those who “have no hope” of winning the top spot would leave the competition “for the greater good”. The Tory MP, who is chairman of the Commons Management Committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Obviously it is incumbent on the candidates, whoever they are, not to knock lumps out of each other. “They are all Conservatives. I think we need to go through the dilution process very, very quickly. “I hope that some of the candidates who know they have no hope of leading our party and becoming prime minister actually decide to walk out of the election for the greater good. “They don’t need to go into the storefront and drag out the process any longer than necessary.” Chiara Giordano 9 July 2022 08:25 1657350611
Process to choose new Tory leader could be ‘cut’ by rocking local characters, Tory MP says
Tory MP and committee chairman Sir Charles Walker said the process to choose a new Tory leader could be “cut short” by stirring up local strife. Sir Charles, who previously served as joint acting chairman of the 1922 Commission, whose body will set the rules and timetable for the leadership contest, said he did not suggest it would happen but indicated it could be a selection. The now-chairman of the Commons Management Committee told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The outcome of the last two before accession will be on July 21st, I suspect, when the House comes up. Then the last two names.. .can go to subscription. “Now, the only way to cut short this process… Well, there’s two ways actually. The first is if one of the names withdraws, as happened in 2016 with Andrea Leadsom. “The second way is, and I’m not suggesting this happens, but it could happen, is that instead of having, say, 10 or 12 regional mobilizations, the party chairman says we don’t have regional mobilizations, he’s just going to send ballots to members”. But he said that would favor the better-known candidate, adding: “It would require the lesser-known candidate to say, ‘Okay, I’m happy with that,’ because they’re going to see the upsets across the country where the members are.” invited as an opportunity to build their profile and reputation, if that makes sense. Let’s say you could say you’re not going to leave, end of July straight to membership, we’ll do it and dust it off by, say, the end of the first week of August.” Chiara Giordano 9 July 2022 08:10 1657350043
The Tories must dilute the bloated leadership race
If the Conservatives are not careful, their own leadership election could turn into a mildly embarrassing display of incompetence and general chaos, with too many candidates promising much the same thing to the same narrow electorate of 359 MPs and around 150,000 activists. Voters may feel they lack the energy to understand the nuanced political differences between various Brexit hardliners coming together to take Britain into the 2030s. Sean O’Grady of the Independent writes.
The Tories will need to thin out the bloated leadership race
The 1922 Committee faces the urgent task of squeezing in ambitious too-you-run-out-a-cumbersome-race, writes Sean O’Grady Shweta Sharma July 9, 2022 8:00 am 1657347905
Liz Truss is attracting supporters even before the bid is announced
Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, has attracted early Tory backers for her potential bid for a Conservative leadership, even as she is set to make official announcements. Brexit campaigner Dehenna Davison, MP Jackie Doyle-Price and Alec Shelbrooke are among the first to weigh in on Ms Truss. The Allies said it would be able to “stand up to Europe” and offer “good economic vision”. Ms Davison said: “It needs to be someone with the right vision to take this country forward, who will genuinely make Great Britain a great place that we can all really enjoy and look up to.” Mr Doyle-Price told the BBC: “I am looking for a candidate who will unite the party. There are up to half a dozen people with the right qualifications I’d like to see, but personally I’ll be backing Liz Truss to take the lead. “She certainly shares my politics, she’s a good Thatcherite, fiscal conservative, which I think is very necessary at the moment – we have to live within our means. I think the leadership he has shown in Ukraine is exactly what we need right now.” Mr Shelbrooke told Bloomberg that Ms Truss is “known on the world stage”. “He’s actually the most experienced member of the cabinet, he’s had a lot of departments, he’s spent a lot of time.” Shweta Sharma 9 July 2022 07:25 1657345205
‘I won’t miss him’: French finance minister hits out at Boris and Brexit
A French government minister has slammed Boris Johnson, claiming his resignation showed populism and Brexit were not a good mix. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also added that the outgoing prime minister’s legacy was very small and, as things turned out, Johnson would not be personally missed. The scandal-mongering Johnson announced on Thursday that he would step down as prime minister after dramatically losing the support of his ministers and most conservative MPs, but said he would stay on until a successor was chosen. “It proves, in any case, that Brexit combined with populism is not a good cocktail for a nation,” Mr Lemaire told France Info radio. “Personally, I won’t miss him,” added Mr Le Maire. Shweta Sharma July 9, 2022 6:40 am 1657343134
The Tories rush to make offers, take sides
The Tories are rushing to announce bids or take sides as the race to become the new prime minister heats up after Rishi Sunak threw his hat into the ring for the top job. Former Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch became the latest to announce her candidacy, promising a government “focused on the basics”. He said he supported lower taxes “to stimulate growth and productivity, accompanied by strict spending discipline”, while calling Mr Johnson “a symptom of the problems we face, not the cause of them”. North East Derbyshire MP Lee Rowley threw his weight behind Ms Badenoch. Former minister Steve Baker has said he will back Attorney General Suella Braverman’s campaign – despite earlier saying he was seriously considering putting himself forward for the top job. While Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has yet to announce her candidacy for a senior cabinet post, some Tory MPs have voiced their support. He is also widely expected to be a captaincy contender. Tory MPs Chloe Smith, Julian Knight and Jackie-Doyle Price have said they will back Ms Truss. Shweta Sharma July 9, 2022 6:05 am 1657339629
The UK will have a new prime minister by September 5 – reports
A new British Prime Minister, a Tory, will be in…
