He’s not going. Yet cited among the favorites to succeed Boris Johnson at the head of the Conservative Party, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace has announced that he will not enter the race. “After careful consideration and discussion with my colleagues and my family, I have made the decision not to enter the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party,” he wrote on Twitter, explaining that he wanted to concentrate on its current task and “ensure the security of the country”.
Ben Wallace is indeed one of those who have remained in office, loyal to the former mayor of London. Expressing his gratitude to those who had “pledged” him their support, he wished good luck to all the candidates. “I hope that we can quickly focus again on the issues for which we were elected,” he added.
Other heavyweights need to position themselves
The fight to succeed Boris Johnson, who has resolved to announce his resignation from the head of the party on Thursday after a series of scandals and a waltz of departures within his government, indeed promises to be fierce and indecisive. Four candidates have so far made their candidacies official: former Equality Minister Kemi Badenock, MP Tom Tugendhat, Attorney General Suella Braverman and Rishi Sunak. Only the latter, resigning Minister of Finance, is a heavyweight.
But he could soon be joined by foreign minister Liz Truss, popular within the party, or Nadhim Zahawi, the brief finance minister. Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Penny Mordaunt and former Minister of Health Sajid Javid are also serious competitors.