The race for the position of British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, started even before she submitted her letter of resignation. A number of names have been taunted as possible substitutes. Some of the prominent names include the former UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and the current UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt.
Investors king had previously reported that British Prime Minister Liz Truss will resign after 45 days in office.
Truss, who became prime minister on September 6, ran into trouble when her finance minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced the policy of a 45% tax cut for the wealthy.
British pounds plummeted to a 37 years low Immediately after the policy was announced, analysts inside and outside the country began to criticize the policy and the need for an urgent turnaround.
Although Liz Truss will remain on as interim prime minister until a successor is named, a leadership contest is expected to take place in the coming week.
Some of the top contenders for the position are listed below:
Boris Johnson
The 58-year-old former prime minister has been taunted for returning to his old position. He was seen as agile, active and charismatic. He also oversees the Brexit vote, one of the factors influencing the current social and political-economic conditions in the UK.
Johnson previously enjoyed a high degree of popularity until, in the final months of his premiership, he lost credibility amid a political scandal involving violating Covid-19 rules and his ties to disgraced MP Chris Pincher.
Former culture secretary and close Johnson ally Nadine Dorries tweeted Thursday that he was the only MP with “a mandate from party members and the British public” to win the 2019 general election.
Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt was the British Chancellor of the Exchequer who was appointed to replace Kwasi Kwarteng. He is considered one of the most influential personalities in British government.
He has previously held several senior government positions, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Health and Minister of Culture.
However, Jeremy may have let himself out of the race. Hunt hinted he wouldn’t run, telling Sky News: “I’m ruling it out, Ms. Hunt is ruling it out, three Hunt kids are ruling it out.”
Rishi Sunak
Sunak is a former Treasury Secretary (Treasury Secretary) who fought vehemently against Truss.
He looks like the favorite who warned Truss about her unfunded tax cuts and says it would be disastrous for Britain. He said they would cause panic in the bond market and concern from the International Monetary Fund.
Sunak has experience in fighting economic crises and has led the UK through the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also secured the most votes from MPs in the last leadership election, comfortably crossing the new threshold with 137 statements of support. Although Truss eventually won the deciding member vote, Sunak lost only narrowly – with 43% of the vote.
Penny Mordaunt
Mordaunt is the leader of the House of Commons who also has the capacity to be Prime Minister. She may have had a dress rehearsal this week for being Prime Minister, after jumping in for an absent Truss during a debate.
“The prime minister is not under a desk,” Mordaunt said on Tuesday on an occasion that was as much akin to presenting himself as it was helping the prime minister.
She came third in the last leadership election and narrowly missed out on running for membership. With 105 MPs votes in the last election, she too is expected to pass the new threshold.
