Government crisis in Great Britain: Sunak applies to succeed Truss

Former Finance Minister Sunak wants to be the next British Prime Minister – he has officially announced his candidacy. Ex-Prime Minister Johnson is also said to have ambitions for the office.

Ex-Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is running for Prime Minister again. “Britain is a great country but we are in a serious economic crisis so I want to lead the Conservative Party and become the next Prime Minister,” Sunak wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

The 42-year-old is considered the favorite in the race to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss and already has significantly more than the necessary 100 supporters in the group together. At the beginning of September, Sunak was defeated in the race to succeed Johnson to Truss, who resigned from office on Thursday after a good six turbulent weeks.

Sunak had warned of economic chaos

Sunak is now credited by many for repeatedly warning during the election campaign against the very chaos Truss unleashed on the financial markets with her economic policy proposals. Truss’ former finance minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, had campaigned for debt-financed tax cuts.

Meetings between Johnson and Sunak apparently remained without agreement

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also reportedly throw his hat in the ring again for the post of Prime Minister. Allies have said Johnson is ready and has enough support. According to media reports, there was a conversation between Johnson and Sunak on Saturday evening, but no agreement was reached.

Also in the running is Penny Mordaunt, the minister responsible for parliamentary affairs, who officially announced her candidacy on Friday. Nominations can be received until Monday afternoon. By next Friday at the latest, it should be clear who will head the government in the future.