After British Prime Minister Liz Truss made a shock resignation on Thursday after just six weeks in office, the race to find a successor has begun, and could happen as soon as next week.
Truss, 47, announced his resignation in a lengthy speech outside the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street, admitting that “given the circumstances, I am unable to carry out the mandate elected by the Conservative Party”. rice field.
Her resignation comes amid mounting public pressure following a backlash and market carnage by her and then-Prime Minister Kwasi Kwarten’s so-called “mini-budgets”.
The ‘boost the economy’ plan features huge tax cuts worth £45bn ($50bn), financed by heavy government borrowing, which will ultimately accelerate market turmoil and cost Truss a It’s been a tumultuous few weeks.
Economic policies have caused many Conservative MPs to lose faith in her leadership.
Just one day before enrollment, Truss rebelled that he was not a “non-smoker.” However, due to her short tenure, Truss made many turns and later scrapped almost all proposals put forward in her “mini-budget.”
How will the Tory election be conducted?
Truss’ announcement will be followed by another leadership election to determine who will be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister, with her replacement due to be announced by the end of next week.
Party rules require a candidate to secure at least 100 nominations from fellow Conservative MPs in order to take part in the election or take part in a vote likely to take place on Monday.
Given that there are only 357 Conservative MPs, a maximum of three candidates could advance to the first stage, but only two candidates could make it through. higher. However, she could have one winner announced on Monday.
Rishi Snack
Potential candidates now include Rishi Sunak, who was Finance Minister from February 2020 to July 2022 and ran for leadership earlier this summer after former Prime Minister Boris Johnson stepped down. I’m here.
Mr Sunak, who narrowly ousted Mr Truss after failing to win enough support from Conservative MPs, has warned that his tax plans could wreak havoc on the UK economy.
Snack is a strong contender to be the next prime minister, but his elite background, controversy over his wife’s tax problems and being fined for violating lockdown rules may not work in his favor. .
Penny Mordaunt
Elsewhere, House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt is another favorite to replace Truss. Mordaunt, 49, said earlier this week that when he was forced to stand in for Truss, who did not show up for questioning by MPs, he had already experienced the wonders of being a country leader. was
Mordaunt also ran for the final content to replace Johnson, but ultimately failed to make it into the final two. Mordaunt said she made history when she became Britain’s first female Defense Secretary in 2019, but she is not well known in the UK, which could pose a risk when running for prime minister. I have.
Ben Wallace
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has also taken aim, with significant support from many in the Conservative Party thanks to his response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which saw the UK decide early on to provide arms and training to Kyiv. is obtained.
Wallace, who voted for Britain to remain in the EU, served in the British army.but he Said He has no interest in becoming the next prime minister.
Boris Johnson could be resurrected
Finally, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who held that position from 2019 to 2022, is also rumored to have a chance. Despite massive public opposition to the former leader amid multiple scandals, including illegal Downing Street parties popularly known as ‘Partygate’.
Public support for Johnson is low, but the former prime minister has spent most of Truss’s term in office on holiday in the Caribbean, and is said to remain popular with Conservatives. poll.
Labor calls for early elections
The Conservative Party wants to avoid holding a general election before 2025, when the next UK-wide election is due, but the opposition Labor Party is calling for an early election.
Opposition leader Sir Kiel Sturmer renewed his call for early elections on Thursday, saying: statement The Tory Party “cannot respond to the recent turmoil by simply snapping our fingers and shuffling people at the top without the consent of the British people”.
A recent poll found that Labor would win 411 seats and the Conservatives 137 in an immediate general election.
Meanwhile, with the race to be the next UK prime minister well underway, Mr Truss said he would remain in office until a successor was chosen.
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Katabella Roberts is a news writer for The Epoch Times, focusing primarily on US, world and business news.