–O. Adejo
Following Liz Truss’ resignation last week, former UK finance minister Rishi Sunak has emerged as the Conservative Party’s frontrunner for the position of Prime Minister.
Sunak, according to Aljazeera, has already received the support of over 150 Members of Parliament (MP) and stands a good chance of getting the job. Furthermore, with Boris Johnson’s withdrawal from the Conservative Party leadership, Sunak’s only real contender is Penny Mordaunt. According to reports, Mordaunt has the support of fewer than 30 MPs at the moment. However, a candidate needs the support of over 100 MPs to stand a chance in the race.
Sunak’s main challenge if he gets the job is rebuilding Britain’s reputation, which has been daunted by economic challenges such as rising energy, food, and mortgage crisis. He would also have to work hard to bring the Conservative Party back together, which is currently deeply divided along ideological lines.
Boris Johnson had recently cut short his Caribbean vacation after learning he would be replacing Truss and returning to a job he was forced out of in September following a series of scandals.
Following other developments over the weekend, Johnson withdrew from the race, claiming that he could not govern the country effectively unless the party united.
Sunak rose to prominence in British politics while serving as Finance Minister under Boris Johnson. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he implemented several key policies, including the development of a furlough scheme to assist millions of people during the lockdown.
If Sunak is appointed, he will be the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin.
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