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LONDON, Oct. 22 (AP) Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who was ousted by an ethics scandal just three months ago — has emerged as one of several contenders seeking to replace Liz Truss. A comeback, the latter’s swift collapse has left the country’s leadership in limbo. Trapped in a time of severe economic challenges.
The ruling Conservative Party has ordered a lightning-fast campaign aimed at finalizing the nomination on Monday and appointing a new prime minister within a week, its third this year.
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Johnson has yet to publicly announce that he is running, but a political ally who spoke with him told Sky News that he was “ready” and that bookmakers made him one of the favourites to win the race.
Johnson’s return would be a stunning resurgence for a polarizing figure forced out by a string of ethics scandals. Opponents say giving him another chance will only lead to more controversy and disappointment.
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The leadership uncertainty comes at a time of weak economic growth as millions grapple with higher borrowing costs and higher prices for food, fuel and other basic goods. A growing wave of strikes by train and postal workers, lawyers and others as the recession looms, a sign of growing discontent.
Truss resigned on Thursday after a tumultuous 45 days, admitting she could not deliver on her economic package for tax cuts, which she was forced to abandon because it sent financial markets turbulent.
House of Commons leader Penny Mordout, the first candidate to publicly announce that she will run to replace Truss, said in a tweet on Friday that she represented “a fresh start”.
Mordaunt, an outspoken 49-year-old Royal Navy reservist who briefly served as UK defence minister in 2019, is the bookmaker’s third favourite. Outside of conservative circles, she’s probably best known for appearing on the reality diving show “Splash!” in 2014.
Leading the way in support from lawmakers, though not publicly announced, is former finance minister Rishi Sunak, a former Truss runner-up.
Sunak, 42, has repeatedly warned the Conservatives that Truss’ tax cut plan would be disastrous – and it turned out to be. Supporters of the former hedge fund manager see him as a safe bet against a sluggish economy.
Popular Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, touted as a possible contender, ruled out himself on Friday.
The wild card is Johnson, who was forced to step down in July but still faces an investigation into whether he lied to Parliament while in office, which could lead to his suspension as a lawmaker.
His allies in parliament are trying to build support for the “I support Boris” movement. One of the MPs, James Dudridge, told Sky News that the former prime minister was flying back from a Caribbean holiday for the leadership contest and was “prepared for it”.
Still adored by some Conservatives, Johnson, 58, is a rare common denominator who led the party to a sweeping 2019 election victory. He is more popular among the party’s grassroots than among lawmakers – and he has been blamed by some for the chaos and scandals that undermined his tenure.
Johnson’s ally Nadine Dorries told Sky News: “Having a winner is what the party needs to survive.”
Johnson was able to steer clear of the blunders that would sink many politicians. He survived even as he was fined by police for attending one of a series of illegal parties in government buildings while the UK was in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.
After too many scandals, he finally resigned. The incident, which involved his appointment of a politician accused of sexual misconduct, sparked an exodus of dozens of government members.
Former Tory leader Michael Howard has pleaded with the party not to return to the Johnson-era ‘psychodrama’.
“He had his chance, but he didn’t succeed,” Howard said. Some Conservative MPs even threatened to leave the party if Johnson was again leader.
Rob Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, said conservatives who believed Johnson could solve their problems “don’t live in a community based on reality”.
He warned that the electorate had not forgotten Johnson’s many scandals – that he no longer had the appeal he once had.
“We know the public doesn’t like him, he can’t govern, he absolutely can’t unify his party. It’s going to be a disaster. It’s going to fail,” Ford said.
To be considered, candidates will need the signatures of at least 100 of the 357 Conservative MPs, meaning a maximum of three. If three meet that threshold, lawmakers will vote to eliminate one, followed by an indicative vote on the last two.
The party’s 1,72,000 members will then decide between the two finalists through online voting. The new leader will be elected on October 28.
By Friday night, about half of Johnson’s 100 supporters needed to campaign, according to several unofficial counts by British media organisations. More than half of Conservative MPs have yet to publicly support the candidate.
Truss resigned after her brief, disastrous experiment with liberal economics. Her proposal for aggressive tax cuts to be paid for through government borrowing has slammed the value of the pound.
Investors have shown little tolerance for her plan at a time when the UK economy is still grappling with its exit from the European Union, the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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