Sunak Or Johnson? Who Could Succeed Liz Truss As UK Prime Minister

With the resignation of Liz Truss as UK Prime Minister, speculations. have begun regarding her successor. While many believe that Rishi Sunak still stands a chance, some expect former PM Boris Johnson to throw his hat in the ring once again. Here's a list of possible candidates who could be the next PM of the United Kingdom.

Rishi Sunak

In this summer's Tory leadership race, Truss handily defeated the outgoing chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak by promising to cut taxes and regulations without reducing government spending.

Sunak, 42, warned her repeatedly that her plans to finance the measures through further borrowing were dangerous and may harm the UK's market confidence as well as inflation that has been at a decades-high level.

AFP

Some believe he is the most qualified Conservative MP to succeed Truss now that he has been proven completely correct and Truss has abandoned her plans and replaced her previous finance minister with Jeremy Hunt, who supports Sunak.

In the early stages of the most recent leadership race, Sunak won the support of the greatest number of Tory lawmakers. It is believed that Sunak still has a sizable following within the parliamentary party.

He has the greatest ratings among the favoured Truss alternatives, according to a new YouGov survey released on Tuesday, although still having a net favorability rating of -18 overall.

But he is now seen as a polarising character. Many party members, who ultimately decide who represents them in leadership positions, are unlikely to pardon him for his part in the ouster of former prime minister Boris Johnson.

Boris Johnson

After a revolt among his cabinet and Tory MPs, which was precipitated by Sunak and other members of his floundering government resigning after months of controversies, the former premier departed office early last month.

Since then, there has been widespread speculation that Johnson may attempt a comeback, despite the fact that few people initially believed it would be possible this soon after receiving multiple strong clues from him.

TOI

A portion of Conservative MPs and the party continue to support the ever-jovial Brexit leader, but his reputation among the general public has been seriously tarnished by his scandal-plagued three-year term.

According to the YouGov poll conducted on Tuesday, the 58-year-old is much more well-liked than Truss. But about two-thirds of those surveyed thought poorly of him.

Since retiring, Johnson has kept a low profile, giving a paid speech in the US last week but making no mention of his opinions on the present difficulties afflicting the UK.

He was rumoured to have supported Truss in the summer leadership race, though Dominic Cummings, a former top assistant who is now one of his fiercest detractors, argued that was because he felt her term would be terrible and brief, opening the door for his comeback.

Jeremy Hunt

The Tories' most recent two leadership elections saw the new finance minister for Truss running as a candidate. Johnson defeated him in the 2019 election's final run-off, and he came in last in the first round of MP elections this year.

Reuters

The former foreign secretary has been thrust back into the spotlight by his appointment to the second-most powerful position in the administration, and his solid performance thus far has boosted his standing.

Some say that Hunt, an ex-entrepreneur who receives the most backing from the centrist sector of the party, might emerge as a capable candidate for unity as Conservative MPs plot Truss's removal.

However, the 55-year-old would have even less democratic support than the majority of the opposition candidates, which would likely increase calls for a general election, which the Tories would obliterate, according to recent polling.

Penny Mordaunt

The incumbent cabinet member was the early favourite to succeed Johnson and narrowly defeated Truss to advance to the matchup against Sunak in the second round by eight votes. The former defence and trade minister, who enjoys support from the conservative base, was a significant figure in the 2016 "Leave" campaign and a fervent proponent of Brexit. Her Conservative colleagues, however, criticised her during the most recent leadership contest, with some claiming that she had performed poorly in past government positions.

AFP

Her Conservative colleagues, however, criticised her during the most recent leadership contest, with some claiming that she had performed poorly in past government positions. Mordaunt's visibility increased this week as she was dispatched on Monday in Truss' place to respond to an urgent question from the Labour opposition in Parliament about the recent economic turmoil.

Mordaunt was praised for handling a tense House of Commons despite having to clarify that the Prime Minister was "not under a desk" in response to claims that Truss was hiding.

According to reports on Tuesday, Sunak had private discussions last week with a senior ally of the 49-year-old about establishing a unity ticket, but Sunak rejected the idea because he did not want to be the junior partner.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.