(London) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday tackled his predecessor Boris Johnson over the refusal of appointments to relatives of the former occupant of Downing Street, which contributed to serious tensions within the Conservative Party.
“Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn’t ready to do, because I didn’t think it was right,” Rishi Sunak said when interviewed by media. “I didn’t think it would have been a good thing, and if some people don’t like it, well, too bad,” he insisted.
PHOTO BY IAN VOGLER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
This firm exit from the Prime Minister illustrates the tensions that are shaking the Conservative Party in power, between supporters of the current occupant of Downing Street and those of his thunderous predecessor. The latter resigned last summer, but he is said to have a desire to return to power.
Boris Johnson announced his immediate resignation from parliament on Friday as he faces sanctions for lying to MPs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He strongly attacked his successor.
Two other MPs did the same, presaging a risky by-election for the Tories at their lowest in the polls.
The crashing departure of Boris Johnson also comes after a psychodrama surrounding the list of lifetime appointments to the House of Lords of the British Parliament that, according to tradition, the prime ministers offer at the end of their mandate.
It is up to the incumbent Prime Minister to approve these appointments after consulting the House of Lords Appointments Committee (Holac) and according to practice he makes no changes to the list submitted.
According to British media Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak recently spoke about these appointments.
Some names mentioned repeatedly in the media are not part of the final list, political allies and the father of the former prime minister. Several Boris Johnson supporters have accused Rishi Sunak of failing to deliver on his promise to fully validate it.
The controversy swelled over the weekend, leading the commission to indicate that it had not supported the candidacies of eight (unidentified) people proposed by Boris Johnson.
On Monday, Rishi Sunak explained himself, assuring that publishing a list different from the opinion of this commission “would amount to overstepping” its prerogatives “or making promises to some”.
“I said I was going to do things differently because I want to change politics and that’s what I’m doing,” added Rishi Sunak who promised integrity and accountability in government after Johnson-era scandals .