Former UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak has approved the 100 endorsements needed to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party following the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss, a party MP announced on Friday.
“Proud to be the 100th Conservative MP to endorse #Ready4Rishi,” Sunak supporter Tobias Ellwood wrote on Twitter, using a hashtag in support of the candidate defeated by Liz Truss in the previous election.
Rishi Sunak is one of the three names that emerged for this ‘lightning’ campaign in the British right-wing party, following the resignation of the Prime Minister after 45 days in office, along with the current Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Penny Mordaunt, and the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The Conservative Party opened bids for its second leadership election in three months, following the July resignations of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss on Thursday.
To be eligible, MP candidates need the support of at least 100 colleagues before the deadline on Monday at 2:00 p.m. local time (the same time in Lisbon).
A first vote reserved for the conservative parliamentary group is scheduled for the same day if more than two candidates qualify.
The two finalists will be put to an electronic vote by an estimated 170,000 Conservative activists and the result will be announced on Friday.
Truss’s successor will be appointed prime minister and invited by King Charles III to form a government as leader of the party with a parliamentary majority.
Source: TSF
