His potential successors are still revealing their plans two days after Boris Johnson's resignation. There could be months of competition for the position of head of the Conservative Party, and hence Downing Street. The Tories are the majority in the House of Commons.
Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, announced his candidacy, promising a "strategic and restrained" government. He is an experienced MP who worked in the cabinet of David Cameron in 2010. However, he is not among the favourites in the polls. There were only three other candidates who also declared: Kemi Badenoch (ex-secretary to State for Equality), Suella Braverman (attorney general), and Tom Tugendhat (deputy).
Rishi Sunak (42), former finance minister, launched his candidacy for president on Friday in a highly licked video. This raised suspicions about long-planned candidacy and treason. Sunak, who was viewed seven million times on Saturday, promises to "restore faith", rebuild the economy, and reunite the nation.
His candidacy was announced by several MPs, which apparently caused a rebound. A poll conducted on Friday by Channel 4 among 493 party members showed him as the Conservatives’ favorite candidate (25%), ahead Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (21%).
Rishi Sunak, together with Sajid Javid, the Health Minister, was one of those who resigned from government on Tuesday night. The political hemorhage caused by these two seemingly simultaneous resignations was caused by the hero of Brexit.
The party's state suggests that there is a lot of competition. Penny Mordaunt, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, and Sajid Javid could also be serious rivals. Truss and none of the others have yet to come forward. On Saturday, another heavyweight, Defense Minister Ben Wallace decided not to show up.
Taxation is an important part of competition in a time of crisis in the cost-of-living. There are up to 15 applications.
A member of the 1922 Committee responsible for internal organization of the party explained that the possibility of such an influx has led to an increase in the number and requirements of votes and sponsorships. This is so that the two finalists are known in two weeks before the summer truce, which starts on July 22.
According to British media reports, the final vote by Conservative Party members (roughly 160,000 votes in the 2019 last internal election) would take place at the beginning of the school year.
