British media reported that the Conservative Party is expected to announce the election timetable next week, and the new party leader is expected to take up the post of prime minister in September.
html On July 7, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered a speech in front of No. 10 Downing Street in London. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ying At this stage, those who have clearly joined the campaign include former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons Tom Tugendhat, Attorney General Sulla Braverman and former Parliamentary Secretary Kimi Badenoch.
According to the British media, currently no competitor has a clear advantage. A latest poll by the Opinion Consulting Company shows that Sunak, who triggered the "wave of departures" in Johnson's government, is one of the front-runners, with the support of a quarter of the Conservative Party members.
This poll also showed that Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss ranked second in popularity among Conservative Party members, with a support rate of 21%, but Truss has not yet announced her participation in the election; Defense Secretary Ben Wallace ranks third with 12% support. Wallace said on the 9th that he was not prepared to participate in the competition.
Sunak resigned as Chancellor of the Finance Ministry on the 5th. In his resignation letter, he accused Johnson of being incompetent and said he had lost confidence in him. According to him, he and Johnson tried to reach an agreement on economic policy, but the differences in their views were so huge that they could not be bridged.
This is March 23, 2022, when British Chancellor of the Exchequer Sunak went to Parliament in London. Xinhua News Agency (photo courtesy of the British Prime Minister's Office)
After Johnson announced his resignation, Sunak officially announced his participation in the race for the new prime minister on the 8th. He delivered a video speech via social media, promising to respond to Britain's current economic predicament "sincerely, seriously and firmly".
Recently, food prices in the UK have continued to rise sharply, gasoline prices have broken records, and people's living costs have continued to increase. Data from the British Office for National Statistics showed that the British Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 9.1% year-on-year in May, setting a new high in 40 years after April.
Sunak said in the video: "Someone has to seize this moment and make the right decision. That's why I want to be the new leader and prime minister of the Conservative Party."
Sunak was criticized for his economic policies during the new crown epidemic. He received positive reviews, but he was subsequently involved in the "Partygate" scandal that violated epidemic prevention regulations, and his popularity dropped. He has also been criticized for failing to effectively deal with the rising cost of living for British households.
According to British media, in addition to Sunak and other four people who have clearly entered the election, there are many other "potential contestants". They are Truss, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt , former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi and former Defense Secretary Penny Morden Special class.
Johnson delivered a speech in front of No. 10 Downing Street in London on the 7th, saying that he would resign as leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister, but would remain in office until a new leader is elected. (Zhang Jing)
Source: Xinhua News Agency
