Estate of Boris Johnson | Nine candidates in the Conservative leadership race

(London) Nine Conservative MPs are now in the running on Sunday in the United Kingdom to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a campaign where many candidates are keen to mark their difference from the former finance minister Rishi Sunak on tax issues.

Last to launch on Sunday morning, Secretary of State for International Trade Penny Mordaunt, 49. This former Navy reservist, who was the first woman to hold the post of Minister of Defense in 2019, insisted on the need for the public debate “to revolve a little less around the leader”, to focus on the “ vessel “.

A declared desire to extract himself from the endless succession of scandals which have marred Boris Johnson’s mandate, until he left him no choice but to resign on Thursday, after an avalanche of resignations in his government.

Very open, the competition that will open for the head of the Conservative party – and therefore for Downing Street, the Tories being the majority in the House of Commons – announces a particularly lively summer, with its share of revelations and stink bombs.

On Saturday evening, former ministers Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid in turn announced their candidacies in the columns of the conservative Sunday newspaper Telegram.

Both have insisted on their tax reduction projects, distancing themselves from the line of Rishi Sunak who wants to wait for the consolidation of public finances before considering embarking on such a path, in a United Kingdom Kingdom plagued by inflation not seen in 40 years.

“Without tax cuts, we will not have growth,” said Sajid Javid on the BBC on Sunday, who announced his resignation from the government on Tuesday launched the haemorrhage – some sixty departures in all – which has proved fatal to Boris Johnson.

Sajid Javid, 52, was followed nine minutes later by Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, but assured that they had not consulted.

Very popular for the multiple economic support measures deployed at the height of the pandemic, Rishi Sunak was for a time weakened by the revelation of the recourse of his wealthy wife to an advantageous tax system. First heavyweight to have launched, it seems to have succeeded in bouncing back and enjoys many support from deputies.

But he risks suffering the wrath of Camp Johnson who suspects him of treason. Rishi Sunak apparently did not notify the Prime Minister before leaving the government.

Finalists known by July 20

Another serious candidate, Nadhim Zahawi, who as Secretary of State piloted Britain’s anti-COVID-19 vaccination programme, before moving last week from the Department of Education to that of Finance, sees his campaign start weighed down by the revelation in the press of a tax investigation targeting him. He assured that all his financial interests have been duly declared.

The other competitors, whose chances of success appear much lower, are Transport Minister Grant Shapps, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat, as well as theattorney general — in charge of legal advice to the government — Suella Braverman, and the ex-Secretary of State for Equality Kemi Badenoch.

The party is still awaiting the entry into the race of Foreign Minister Liz Truss, whose intentions do not seem to be in doubt, while another favorite, his Defense colleague Ben Wallace, announced on Saturday that he gave up.

In total, the authorities of the party anticipate about fifteen candidacies, an influx which augurs an increase in the thresholds in terms of sponsorships or number of votes in the first part of the process.

But Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee, responsible for the internal organization of the party, said he was “confident” on Sunday on LBC radio that the two finalists will be known by July 20.

The more precise timetable is expected on Monday, for a possible closing of applications on Tuesday, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

The objective mentioned is to ensure that the final vote, open only to members of the Conservative Party, makes it possible to designate the winner by the beginning of September.