British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Friday he was “inclined” to support Boris Johnson as the successor to Liz Truss, who stepped down as prime minister on Thursday, 44 days after taking office.
Despite his support for Johnson to return to the head of the British government, Ben Wallace argues the former prime minister still has “a number of questions to answer” as a parliamentary inquiry into his conduct is ongoing throughout the term.
Still, Wallace sided with Boris Johnson, saying he “invested in the defense” of the United Kingdom. “It supported me, it supported the actions this country has taken to keep us safe,” he said.
Ben Wallace puts himself out of the race. “For me, I feel like I can add more value to keep people safe in defense by being the Secretary of Defense. It’s the work I’ve done and it’s the work I intend to continue to do, so I’m not going to apply for prime minister,” he said in an interview broadcast by the BBC.
Commerce Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has also expressed support for Boris Johnson, who has not yet expressed his intention to flee.
Announcing her resignation, Liz Truss said she would remain head of government until a successor is chosen, a process she says will take a week. “This will ensure we stay on track to deliver on our tax plans [será a 31 de outubro] and maintain the economic stability and national security of our country,” he said.
Alongside Boris Johnson, former Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak is one of the most talked about names for number 10 Downing Street, which lost to Truss in the final vote of Conservative Party militants.
The name of Penny Mordaunt was also put forward. She is the current leader of the Conservatives in Parliament but lost to Truss the opportunity to go to the final game to succeed Boris Johnson in the Conservative party leadership.
Source: DN
