UK Politics

Tory leadership hopefuls are jockeying for position as they bid to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.Mr Johnson announced he would quit on Thursday following an avalanche of ministerial resignations and cabinet walkouts. However, he has said he will remain in office until the Conservative Party are able to elect his successor. This could take several weeks and some within the party are calling for the process to start as soon as possible, rather than the autumn – Mr Johnson has vowed to stay until then.Here are the latest odds from BetFair Exchange on who is the favourite to take the Tory crown.Penny Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP and international trade minister: 5/1Rishi Sunak, Richmond (Yorkshire) MP and former chancellor: 6/1Ben Wallace, Wyre & Preston North MP and defence secretary: 13/2 Liz Truss, South West Norfolk MP and foreign secretary: 8/1Sajid Javid, Bromsgrove MP and former health secretary: 9/1Nadhim Zahawi, Stratford-on-Avon MP and chancellor: 10/1Jeremy Hunt, South West Surrey MP and former foreign secretary: 13/1Tom Tugendhat, Tonbridge and Malling MP : 15/1Michael Gove, Surrey Heath MP and former levelling up secretary : 21/1Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, has overall responsibility for organising leadership contests.The timetable for a contest is agreed by the committee and Tory Party HQ, with a new Tory leader expected to be in place by the party conference in October.Both Tory MPs and Conservative Party members play a decisive role in electing the next leader.Tory MPs will whittle down the candidates to a final two through a balloting process, with party members then voting on which of the two candidates they would prefer.The first stage sees the number of candidates whittled down, with a series of ballots.If necessary, across multiple ballots, the candidates with the lowest number of votes are eliminated and MPs are re-balloted until only two candidates are left.For example, during the 2019 leadership contest to replace Theresa May, which saw Boris Johnson elected leader, there were initially 10 candidates in the first ballot, with several rounds of balloting taking place until only Mr Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were left.At this stage, the two MPs left will face a vote of Conservative Party members.It means that members of the party will get their say on who should be the leader of the Conservative Party, as well as the next prime minister. More

Boris Johnson has resigned as prime minister after his tumultuous three-year premiership was dealt a fatal blow by mass resignations from the ministerial ranks and a cabinet revolt.Announcing his departure from No 10 — two years after winning the Tories’ biggest majority in decades — the prime minister did not reference the multiple scandals that have rocked his time in office.But he acknowledged it was “clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader” after dozens expressed no confidence in his embattled leadership.Here is the prime minister’s speech in full:“It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and I’ve agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. And I’ve today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until the new leader is in place.“So I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time: ‘Thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979.’“And the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019.“And of course, I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government: from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.“And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.“And at the same time, in this country, we’ve been pushing forward a vast programme of investment in infrastructure and skills and technology, the biggest in a century. Because if I have one insight into human beings, it is that genius and talent and enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed throughout the population but opportunity is not. And that’s why we must keep levelling up, keep unleashing the potential in every part of the United Kingdom. And if we could do that, in this country, we will be the most prosperous in Europe.“And in the last few days, I’ve tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we’re delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we’re actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in midterm after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.“And I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course it’s painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself. But as we’ve seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times, not just helping families to get through it but changing and improving the way we do things, cutting burdens on businesses and families and yes, cutting taxes, because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay for great public services.“And to that new leader, I say wherever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can.“And to you, the British public, I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.“I want to thank Carrie and our children, all members of my family who have had to put up with so much, for so long. I want to thank the peerless British civil service for all the help and support that you have given our police, our emergency services, and of course, our fantastic NHS who at a critical moment helped to extend my own period in office, as well as our armed services and our agencies that are so admired around the world, and our indefatigable Conservative Party members and supporters whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible.“I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Number 10 and of course Chequers, and our fantastic prop force detectives, the one group, by the way, who never leak.“Above all I want to thank you, the British public for the immense privilege that you have given me. And I want you to know that from now on, until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on.“Being Prime Minister is an education in itself. I’ve travelled to every part of the United Kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural world, I found so many people possessed of such boundless British originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways that I know that even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden.“Thank you all very much.” (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and Kate Holton; editing by David Milliken) More

A Conservative leadership contest will take place in coming weeks after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Thursday he is resigning as the party’s leader — though he will continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is elected by party members.A look at the candidates who could succeed Johnson as party leader and prime minister:SUELLA BRAVERMAN, ATTORNEY GENERALBraverman, a lawmaker and barrister who became England’s attorney general in 2020, was the first to put her hat in the ring. She publicly announced Wednesday that she would seek to become the leader of Britain’s Conservatives. The 42-year-old told a television interviewer she wanted to run for prime minister because she and her family, who arrived in Britain as immigrants, “owe a debt of gratitude to this country.”Braverman is not well known among the public. Her announcement, made while she still served in Johnson’s government, surprised many.Braverman was a supporter of Johnson for years but said it was time for him to go.A euroskeptic and Brexiteer, Braverman was elected to Parliament in 2015. Johnson appointed her as attorney general in February 2020. ___RISHI SUNAK, FORMER TREASURY CHIEFSunak, the best-known of the Conservatives’ potential leadership contenders, quit the government Tuesday. In a damning resignation letter, he wrote, “The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.” “I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning,” he said.Sunak was, for a time, widely regarded as the party’s brightest rising star and the bookmakers’ favorite to succeed Johnson.Sunak, 42, became Treasury chief in 2020, given the unenviable job of steering the slumping economy through the coronavirus pandemic. His policies, including dishing out billions of pounds to help businesses and workers, were generally well-received.But “partygate” changed those fortunes. Like Johnson, Sunak was fined by police for attending a lockdown-flouting birthday party at Downing Street in June 2020. He has also come under heavy criticism for being slow to respond to Britain’s severe cost-of-living crisis.Sunak also faced pressure following revelations that his wife, Akshata Murthy, avoided paying taxes on her overseas income, and that the former investment banker held on to his U.S. green card while serving in government.Born to Indian parents who moved to Britain from East Africa, Sunak attended the exclusive Winchester College private school and studied at Oxford. Some see his elite education and work for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund as a liability because it makes him seem out of touch with ordinary voters.___NADHIM ZAHAWI, TREASURY CHIEFJohnson appointed Zahawi, 55, to head the Treasury after Sunak’s resignation Tuesday. Barely two days later, Zahawi joined the public calls for Johnson to quit.Zahawi came to prominence as vaccine minister during the pandemic. A co-founder of the market research firm YouGov, Zahawi was elected to Parliament in 2010. He was born in Iraq to a Kurdish family and came to the U.K. as a child when his parents fled Iraq under Saddam Hussein.The Times newspaper reported that Zahawi has secretly worked with close allies of Australian election strategist Lynton Crosby on a Conservative leadership campaign.He is seen by some as a safe choice if other candidates prove divisive.___SAJID JAVID, FORMER HEALTH SECRETARYJavid, 52, also resigned Tuesday, declaring “enough is enough” and that “the problem starts at the top.”Javid had been health secretary since June 2021, leading the COVID-19 response. He earlier served as Treasury chief, but resigned in early 2020 after clashing with Johnson over his order to fire his advisers. That Johnson brought him back to handle the coronavirus response reflects Javid’s reputation for competence.A father of four, Javid was first elected in 2010 and has held various posts, including home secretary and leading departments for business, culture and housing.He ran in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, but was eliminated in the fourth round and lost to Johnson.The son of Pakistani immigrants, Javid has billed himself as a common-man alternative to his private school-educated rivals — although he had a lucrative career in investment banking before politics.___LIZ TRUSS, FOREIGN SECRETARYTruss, 46, took on the high-profile Cabinet post in September after serving as trade minister. She has gained momentum within the party since then and made no secret of her ambitions.As Britain’s chief diplomat, Truss got a frosty reception from her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.She is also the U.K.’s lead negotiator with the European Union on issues following Britain’s exit from the bloc. Once a campaigner for remaining in the EU, Truss has become a Brexit champion. Her former role as international trade secretary saw her signing post-Brexit deals and channeling Johnson’s ambitions for “Global Britain.”Truss is popular with many Conservatives, who see echoes of the party’s first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, in the free-market-loving politician. Supporters have coined the slogan, “In Liz We Truss.”___BEN WALLACE, DEFENSE SECRETARYWallace has won admirers for his straight talk, particularly among Conservative lawmakers who pressed for the U.K. to increase its defense spending.A 52-year-old army veteran, Wallace has raised his profile as a key government voice in Britain’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.___JEREMY HUNT, FORMER CABINET MINISTERHunt, a former health secretary and foreign secretary, ran against Johnson in the 2019 leadership race, billing himself as the more serious candidate. He lost heavily, and was dumped from the Cabinet.He has said he wouldn’t back Johnson, warning that keeping him in power would wreck the party’s general election chances.He is widely expected to make a new bid for the party leadership. In January, the 55-year-old was quoted as saying his ambition to lead the country hasn’t “completely vanished.”Hunt has remained a lawmaker, and kept himself in the public eye by grilling ministers and experts as head of Parliament’s Health and Social Care Select Committee.As a critic of the government’s pandemic response, he may appeal to those seeking a change from Johnson, although some look on him unfavorably for implementing unpopular health care policies.___TOM TUGENDHAT, COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIRTugendhat, 48, is a non-Cabinet Conservative with no ministerial experience, he reportedly is favored by some in the party as a good choice for a new start.An opponent of the 2016 Brexit referendum, the former soldier has been a trenchant Johnson critic. He is also among a group of key Conservatives urging the U.K. to take a tougher stand on China.___PENNY MORDAUNT, TRADE MINISTERMordaunt, 49, has emerged as a surprise potential contender, with supporters saying she could help heal party divisions.Mordaunt played a prominent role in the pro-Brexit campaign and had backed Hunt in the 2019 leadership contest. She was removed as defense secretary when Johnson became prime minister.She has since returned to government as international trade minister and is popular among Conservative lawmakers.___MICHAEL GOVE, LEVELING UP SECRETARYGove, a party heavyweight, was sacked by Johnson on Wednesday, hours after he reportedly told the prime minister to stand down.Gove has held many key Cabinet posts and was in charge of delivering on the government’s promise to “level up” Britain — to address inequality by increasing opportunities in deprived areas.Gove, 54, played a key role in the Brexit campaign and is widely respected in the party, but is not completely trusted. In the 2016 Conservative leadership campaign, he backed Johnson before deciding to run himself — a betrayal that many Conservatives haven’t forgotten.___Follow AP’s coverage of British politics at https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson More

Liz Truss has broken her silence on Boris Johnson’s resignation, calling for “calmness and unity” while a new leader is found. The foreign secretary said the prime minister had “made the right decision” by quitting.Ms Truss was on a trip abroad visiting Indonesia while Mr Johnson’s cabinet collapsed around him and had so far not spoken publicly about the turmoil in Westminster. She is widely seen as a potential leadership hopeful to replace the prime minister.”The PM has made the right decision,” she said in a message posted on social media. “The Government under Boris’s leadership had many achievements – delivering Brexit, vaccines and backing Ukraine.”We need calmness and unity now and to keep governing while a new leader is found.”Though Ms Truss had not publicly commented on the situation in Westminster she had made clear through sources close to her that she was standing by the prime minister.On Thursday Mr Johnson announced he would be stepping down as Tory leader and prime minister when a successor had been found.But some Conservatives and opposition politicians believe he should go immediately given the nature of his departure.Over MPs quit government roles over the last 36 hours in a bid to force him out. Mr Johnson had been criticised for his handling of an alleged case of sexual abuse by one of his senior MPs. More

As Boris Johnson addresses the nation, the key question on the public’s mind will be – what happens to Larry the cat?More beloved than any serving prime minister Larry is a pillar of British government and has been the friendly furry face of No 10 for more than a decade. The tabby cat was recruited by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to deal with a pack of rats seen scuttling close to the British leader’s official residence, and has been in residence since February 15, 2011.He holds the title of chief mouser to the Cabinet Office. The former stray, adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. He was the first cat to hold the rat-catching portfolio since the retirement of Humphrey in 1997, and has loyally served three prime ministers. Larry, who has met a number of world leaders has been largely unfriendly to men but took a liking to former U.S. President Barack Obama. When former President Donald Trump visited in 2019, Larry took a nap under his car.Luckily for the British public, Larry remains the one constant within an imploding cabient. He is technically owned by the staff at Downing Street and so will not be leaving with Mr Johnson. Long may Larry serve this country. More

A lectern has appeared outside Number 10 as Boris Johnson is poised to step down as prime minister following an onslaught of resignations in protest over his leadership.Mr Johnson said it was “clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader’’ as he stepped up to the lectern to announce his resignation at 12.30pm on Thursday.He will remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.A No 10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, to inform him of his decision.More than 50 Tory MPs have quit their government jobs after it emerged Mr Johnson promoted Tory MP Chris Pincher despite knowledge of misconduct claims against him.The timetable for the Tory leadership contest will be agreed between the 1922 Committee, which runs the parliamentary proceedings to whittle the candidates down to two, and Conservative headquarters.Mr Johnson will be staying on as caretaker prime minister – someone who temporarily runs the government until a new leader is appointed.However his critics have suggested he should not be allowed to remain in office until the autumn and that someone else should step into the caretaker role. More

Conservative MP Ben Wallace is the favourite among Tory members to replace Boris Johnson as party leader and prime minister, new polling shows.The Defence secretary beats all other contenders in YouGov polling of Conservative members about who they would vote for.The pollster asked members who they would choose in a head-to-head contest, asking about various different scenarios with different candidates.In all scenarios containing Mr Wallace he wins by a significant margin, they found.The former soldier and MP for Wyre and Preston North, who has played a prominent role in the UK’s response to the war in Ukraine, also comes top of members’ preferences overall, though by a lesser margin.Tory rank-and-file members will ultimately decide who becomes prime minister but they will only get to choose between a final two candidates, whittled down from a larger field by Conservative MPs. This means Mr Wallace may not make the final two if he cannot build a big enough support base in the parliamentary party at Westminster.Mr Wallace beats Liz Truss by 48 per cent to 29 per cent, Penny Mordaunt by 48 per cent to 26 per cent, Rishi Sunak by 51 per cent to 30 per cent, and Jeremy Hunt by 58 per cent to 22 per cent.He comes top of a wide open field of candidates as the first preference vote with 13 per cent, just ahead of Ms Mordaunt on 12 per cent and Mr Sunak on 10 per cent.Liz Truss trails on 8 per cent while Michael Gove and Dominic Raab are on 7 per cent each. Tom Tugenhadt polls 6 per cent, just head of Jeremy Hunt and Nadhim Zahawi on 5 per cent and Sajid Javid on 4 per cent.But Tory members are only part of the story and all candidates will have to survive the earlier rounds of the contest and gain the approval of their fellow MPs.Preferences could also shift during the leadership contest itself, in which candidates – many of them relative unknowns – will lay out their stalls. Mr Wallace is yet to announce that he will stand in the contest.YouGov polling of party members’ preferences has in the past been broadly accurate in both Tory and Labour contests. The pollster quizzed a weighted sample of 716 members.Mr Johnson is expected to announce his resignation on Thursday after more than 50 MPs quit government jobs in protest at his handling of an alleged sexual abuse case by one of his political allies. More

Boris Johnson has finally agreed to resign as prime minister after days of immense pressure from cabinet and backbench MPs.Mr Johnson has been plagued by a series of scandals, including becoming the first prime minister in office to face police action after he was fined over attending parties at No 10 during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown.However, the straw that broke the camel’s back was his appointment of deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, despite previous allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him.The dysfunction and continued controversies at the heart of Downing Street prompted a slew of ministerial resignations, including chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid on Tuesday.Mr Johnson finally wilted under the strain of repeated calls for him to go and on Thursday he spoke to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, to inform him of his decision to step down.He is expected to remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.The prime minister is reportedly writing his own resignation speech and is expected to make the announcement at 12.30pm. He has also started to appoint new ministers.After Mr Johnson’s resignation, the timetable for the Tory leadership contest will be agreed between members of the backbench 1922 Committee, which runs the parliamentary proceedings, to whittle the candidates down to two, and Conservative headquarters.But he is already facing backlash for planning to stay on as prime minister until autumn, with many calling for him to go now and be replaced in the interim by deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.George Freeman, who quit as science minister on Thursday morning, said that now Mr Johnson had “finally done the decent thing” he should “hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty, allow her to appoint a caretaker under whom ministers can serve, so the Conservative Party can choose a new leader properly”.Lord Barwell, who served as Theresa May’s chief of staff, said the leadership election must be “relatively quick” and there was a “question whether the PM will be able to lead a caretaker government in the meantime, will enough ministers agree to serve?” More