From Boris Johnson to Suella Braverman, it could be about to get a lot worse...
Liz Truss finally went. After just 44 days in office, and breaking all records as the shortest tenured prime minister in the history of the UK, she tendered her resignation.
That means we’re set for the second Tory leadership election so far this year. The chair of the 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady has said that the leadership election will be concluded in a week, with a new prime minister in post by October 28. Rumour and speculation is inevitably flooding through Westminster right now as to who that will be. Here are the runners and riders.
Who’s ruled themselves out?
A number of prominent Tories have reportedly ruled themselves out of the contest.
The current chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt is among those reported to have turned down the opportunity to take over the sinking ship. He has stood for the leadership before, losing to both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Also not in the running are Michael Gove and Tom Tugendhat.
Who’s reportedly running?
Allies of the former chancellor Rishi Sunak – the runner up in the previous Tory leadership content – have said that he is ‘certain to stand’, according to The Telegraph’s associate editor Christopher Hope. A Sunak ascendancy would incense supporters of Boris Johnson who blame him for the former prime minister’s departure.
The Tory hard right will be pleased to hear reports that both Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman are expected to stand in the contest. Both are ardent Tory culture warriors who also stood in the earlier 2022 leadership contest. Braverman – until yesterday the home secretary – has previously said that it was her ‘dream’ and ‘obsession’ to see a Daily Telegraph front page depicting migrants being deported to Rwanda. Badenoch’s culture war militancy has reached such absurd proportions she tried to ‘ban’ gender neutral toilets in the building she launched her previous leadership bid, with handwritten signs labelling toilets for ‘men’ and ‘women’.
Penny Mordaunt is among those apparently ‘taking soundings’ on whether she should stand. Mordaunt stood in the other 2022 election too, coming third behind Sunak and Truss. After dropping out of the contest, Mordaunt demonstrated her keen political nous by endorsing Truss in the battle of the final two – the same Truss who tanked the economy, took the Tories to 19 per cent in the polls, and resigned less than two months after taking office.
Some reports have also suggested Brandon Lewis could be throwing his hat into the ring. Lewis’ big claim to fame is his admission that the government planned to break the law, but in a “specific and limited way”.
And finally… Boris Johnson. Yes, really – the disgraced former prime minister known for his incompetence, bigotry and chaotic handling of government is reportedly set to stage a comeback and run in the forthcoming contest. That’s despite him being forced out by his own MPs mere months ago.
Time for a general election?
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
Image credit: Number 10 – Creative Commons
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