The front-runner in the tense and polarising race to succeed Boris Johnson, former finance minister Rishi Sunak, launched his campaign on Tuesday with the promise of ‘honesty.’
Following Johnson’s forced announcement that he would resign when support dried up for him due to a slew of scandals, an initial 11 contenders put their names up to lead the ruling Conservative Party and become the next prime minister of Britain.
The only candidates who will advance to the first round on Wednesday are those who receive nominations from 20 of their 358 Conservative parliamentary colleagues on Tuesday. The last two candidates will then be selected after a swift narrowing of the field by Conservative Party members.
Grant Shapps, the transport minister, was the first to abandon his campaign and support Sunak, whose resignation helped spark the uprising of ministers and Conservative legislators that compelled Johnson to announce his departure last week.
The new leader must deal with a full inbox and waning public support.
People are dealing with the tightest financial squeeze in decades as the British economy struggles with skyrocketing inflation, huge debt, and lacklustre growth against a backdrop of an energy shortage made worse by the conflict in Ukraine, which has driven up fuel costs.
Rival campaigns increased their private criticism of one another as the campaign progressed and highlighted any financial or other issues that might be plaguing their opponents.
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