As of: 07/14/2022 6:10 p.m
Attorney General Braverman was eliminated from the second vote on Johnson’s successor. Ex-Finance Minister Sunak did best again. But that could look very different in the next vote.
The field of candidates to succeed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shrunk to five. In a second round of voting by Tory MPs, Attorney General for England and Wales Suella Braverman finished last with 27 votes, dropping out of the running.
As in the first vote on Wednesday – in which the field of candidates had shrunk from eight to six – recently resigned Finance Minister Rishi Sunak came first. He now received 101 votes. Foreign Trade Secretary Penny Mordaunt came in second again, for whom 83 MPs voted. Behind them were Foreign Minister Liz Truss with 64 votes, former Equal Rights Minister Kemi Badenoch (49) and MP Tom Tugendhat (32).
The sound gets rougher
The election was a “strong vote of confidence” for Sunak, his former cabinet colleague Matt Hancock told Sky News. However, Sunak’s clear leadership does not mean a preliminary decision. It is expected that Braverman’s supporters will now vote for Secretary of State Truss or former Secretary of State Badenoch, who are also assigned to the right-wing camp.
However, the applicants are not too far apart in many areas. Nobody doubts Brexit, and there is consensus on the Johnson government’s controversial plans. All announce – as demanded by the majority of the party – tax cuts.
However, the tone became rougher. Immediately before the vote, former Brexit Minister David Frost denied his former deputy Mordaunt, who is considered the party’s grassroots favourite, the ability to govern. Frost told Talk TV, “I felt like she didn’t have the details that needed to be negotiated over the last year.”
Runoff election should be clarified on Wednesday
The next votes in the group with 358 members are planned for next week. On Wednesday it should then be clear between which two candidates the party members will decide in a runoff. The result – and thus Johnson’s successor as party and government leader – should be known by September 5 at the latest.
Johnson was forced to resign as party leader last Thursday by an internal party revolt, which also meant the end of his government office. However, he intends to remain in office until a successor is appointed.