Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak will seek to succeed Boris Johnson as Britain’s next prime minister. Sunak has won every round of voting among Conservative parliamentarians, but among the 200,000 ruling party members, Truss is gaining ground.
Sunak, a former Goldman Sachs banker who raised taxes to their highest level since the 1950s, will face Truss, a Brexit convert who promises to cut taxes and regulations. Winners on September 5 will inherit some of Britain’s most difficult situations. The pound is trading near historic lows against the dollar, and industrial action is on the rise.
Johnson and Truss took a firm line in post-Brexit Northern Ireland negotiations, prompting EU retribution and jeopardising future economic ties. Penny Mordaunt was ousted in the fifth and final round of Conservative legislators on Wednesday. Sunak scored 137 votes, Truss 113.
According to polls, Truss would defeat Sunak in a party-member vote, boosting the chance that the party would elect a leader other than Westminster’s favoured choice.Truss thanked fans. She tweeted, “I’m ready to begin.
Sunak tweeted, “Grateful for my colleagues’ trust today.” I’ll work to share our message regularly. Mordaunt, who placed second in a contentious leadership race, urged the party to unite. Politics are hard. It can be contentious, she noted. Now we must build our party and focus on the task.
HUSTINGS
The two candidates will now campaign before party members nationwide. Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta ComRes, called this one of the most unpredictable Conservative leadership races in recent memory. This competition has had no clear winner, unlike others.
Given the enmity between the contenders, Johnson’s popularity across the country and in the party, and rising party tensions, it’s unclear how well any new leader will rule.
Johnson resigned last month following months of issues, including COVID-19 pandemic lockdown violations. Sunak helped guide the economy through the pandemic, but many party members blame him for Johnson’s resignation this month. His wife’s wealth and office record have also drawn criticism.
Sunak, who’s more comfortable in public, may confront Truss. She said Sunday that she’s not “the slickest presenter” but “does what I say.” In a time when many parts of the state are failing, the election has so far focused on tax cuts, defence expenditure, energy policy, Brexit, and transgender rights.
Both candidates hold significant positions in Johnson’s administration, making it difficult to promote themselves as new. Hopkins said a new party leader “normally gets a tiny bump in the polls, but this government is gravely damaged.”
