Battle for Britain: Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt? Tussle for UK PM Post Gathers Steam As Truss Quits

Truss’ resignation comes a day after Indian-origin interior minister Suella Braverman’s explosive exit from the Cabinet.

World

By Rohini Rajhansh On Oct 21, 2022

Battle for Britain: Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt? Tussle for UK PM Post Gathers Steam As Truss Quits

Liz Truss resigned on Thursday after turbulent 45 days of Prime Ministership, which saw departure of two key ministers, wavering political authority and nosediving Britain’s economy. Spotlight is now back on the contenders for the top post in the UK, and all eyes are on former chancellor Rishi Sunak to parachute in to take charge.

Truss faced an open revolt against her leadership as many Conservative Party MPs call for her to resign amid chaos in the UK government. After her resignation, several leaders including Liberal Democrat Sir Ed Davey and leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer have called for an immediate general election, according to The Guardian.

“I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability…We have agreed there will be a leadership election to be completed in the next week. I will remain as prime minister until a successor has been chosen,” Truss announced in her resignation speech outside Downing Street on Thursday.

Truss’ resignation comes a day after Indian-origin interior minister Suella Braverman’s explosive exit from the Cabinet after admitting a breach of the ministerial code by discussing government policy in private emails and a scathing parting attack on her boss.

Let’s look at the runners for the top post:

Rishi Sunak: The former chancellor, who ran against Truss for the election this summer, remains the top bet as the favourite leader to run the country. Sunak, 42, had lost out to Truss’ now failed tax-cutting agenda last month. Loyalists of former PM Boris Johnson want the party to bring Sunak back, given his solid mandate in the 2019 general election.

A new YouGov poll on Tuesday found he has the best ratings of the touted alternatives to Truss — albeit still with an overall net favourability rating of 18.

According to Betfair, former chancellor Rishi Sunak is the favourite at 11/10. He is followed by Penny Mordaunt at 7/2 and Ben Wallace at 8/1. Jeremy Hunt’s odds are 9/1, but he will not be standing for the role. Former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Theresa May sit at 13/1 and 16/1 respectively, according to Sky News.

If Sunak wins, he will be the first India-origin person to assume the office of UK Prime Minister.

Penny Mordaunt: Another name that is doing the rounds as the contender for the next PM is Conservative leader Penny Mordaunt who was second to Sunak among MPs voting during the fourth and fifth rounds. According to YouGov, she is favourite among members. Who is Mordaunt?

She was born in 1973, and her father named her after HMS Penelope, British cruise. She was appointed Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons on September 6. Previously, she was Minister of State at the Department for International Trade from September 16, 2021 to September 6, 2022. She has been an MP since 2010.

The former defence and trade minister, who is popular with the Tories’ grassroots, was a strong Brexit supporter and key figure in the 2016 “Leave” campaign.

Her profile rose this week after she was sent out on Monday in place of Truss to answer an urgent question in Parliament from the Labour opposition about the recent economic turmoil.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, meanwhile, has confirmed he will not stand to be the next UK Prime Minister. He lost in the final run-off in 2019 to Johnson and finished in last place in the first ballot of MPs this year.

Boris Johnson: The former PM had quit early last month after revolt among his cabinet and Tory MPs, sparked by the resignation of Sunak and others. The Brexit figurehead remains popular with a section of Conservative leaders but his reputation has been damaged widely by his scandal-tainted three-year tenure. Johnson has kept a low profile since resigning, giving a paid speech in the United States last week but no indications of his views on the current crises in the UK.