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LONDON. – Ex-finance minister Rishi Sunak, the favourite to become Britain’s next prime minister, kicked off his campaign yesterday promising “honesty” in a increasingly testy and divisive battle to succeed Boris Johnson.
An initial 11 candidates put their names forward to become leader of the governing Conservative Party and Britain’s next premier after Johnson was forced to say he would step down when he lost support over a series of scandals.
Only those who get nominations from 20 of their 358 Conservative colleagues in parliament will go forward to the first vote on Wednesday. The field will then be quickly whittled down a final two, with Conservative Party members making the final decision.
Transport minister Grant Shapps became the first to end his bid, throwing his support behind Sunak, whose resignation helped provoke the revolt by ministers and Conservative lawmakers that forced Johnson to say he would resign last week.
The new leader faces a busy in-tray as well as falling opinion poll support.
Britain’s economy is facing rocketing inflation, high debt, and low growth, with people coping with the tightest squeeze on their finances in decades.
As the contest heated up, rival campaigns stepped up private criticism of each other and pointed to either financial or other questions hanging over their opponents.
With most candidates saying they would cut taxes if they win, Sunak, the current bookmakers’ favourite, has sought to portray himself as the serious candidate, promising “grown up” honesty “not fairy tales”. He said: “It is not credible to promise lots more spending and lower taxes.” – Reuters
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