UK’s Sunak reported to be first candidate to hit 100 threshold to make it onto ballot paper
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LONDON (Reuters) – Rishi Sunak has become the first British Conservative Party leadership candidate to hit the 100 threshold with support from lawmakers to make it onto ballot paper, The Guardian’s political editor tweeted.
NEW: Rishi Sunak becomes the first Tory leadership candidate to hit the 100 threshold to make it onto ballot paper, sources say.
Boris Johnson has been gaining momentum in his audacious bid to return as British prime minister, with his colleagues deeply divided over the potential comeback and some warning he would plunge the country into fresh chaos.
Former defence minister Penny Mordaunt became the first candidate to officially declare an intention to run to be the next leader of the Conservative party, but Johnson and Rishi Sunak, once his finance minister, led potential contenders as candidates canvassed support ahead of voting next week.
With the Conservatives holding a large majority in parliament and able to ignore calls for a general election for another two years, the new party leader will become prime minister – Britain’s fifth in six years.
Those seeking to replace Liz Truss, who quit on Thursday after six chaotic weeks, must secure 100 nominations from Conservative lawmakers by Monday. Truss herself succeeded Johnson after he was ousted by his colleagues in July.
The party hopes the contest will revive its ailing fortunes. Opinion polls suggest the Conservatives would be all but wiped out if a national election were held now.
Johnson has not formally announced he will run but five cabinet ministers threw their weight behind him, while media reports suggested Sunak became the first leadership candidate to hit the threshold to enter the contest before Monday’s deadline.
A fast-tracked Conservative Party leadership election is underway to replace Liz Truss, who said on Thursday she would resign just six weeks after being appointed as British prime minister.
That contest will be completed by Oct. 28 at the latest and candidates wishing to stand need to be nominated by at least 100 Conservative lawmakers – meaning a maximum of three candidates will be on the ballot on Monday.
Lawmakers then will choose a final two, and have an indicative vote to show who the majority back. If the person in second place does not drop out, then the Conservative Party membership will vote, with results announced by Friday.
Given the divisions in the party there is no obvious unifying candidate.
