Race to replace Johnson: Two candidates confirm bids, as Mordaunt, Hunt, Zahawi, Javid, Sunak, Truss, Baker and Wallace consider chances
Two candidates have confirmed they are running in the Conservative leadership election, while at least five others are tipped to enter the contest.
So far, only attorney general Suella Braverman and Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair Tom Tugendhat have issued their intention to run.
24-hours after Johnson announced he would step aside, a YouGuv poll suggested current defence secretary Ben Wallace was the most popular choice amongst the membership.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt is also considering a bid to replace Boris Johnson according to the BBC, while Steve Baker was quoted as talking about what he’d do if he “seizes power”.
Nadhim Zahawi, Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid are all also thought to be preparing campaigns for the top job. Sunak and Javid dramatically resigned as chancellor and health secretary on Tuesday evening, throwing Boris Johnson’s government into turmoil.
Later on Tuesday evening, Zahawi emerged as chancellor over a reported tussle for the role with Truss.
The following day the new chancellor was among those in a delegation to confront Johnson in Downing Street, urging him to quit. The following day, he wrote to the PM saying the situation was “unsustainable”.
While Javid and Sunak have been tight-lipped on whether they will run, they have been long-term friends are their silence is being seen by many as preparation for announcing their bids.
Penny Mordaunt has also been the subject of speculation that her lack of comment on Boris Johnson’s last few days in office before his resignation, is a bid to keep her slate clean ahead of a possible leadership run.