The conservative deputies from across the Channel chose the former Minister of Finance and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the race for Prime Minister. The two finalists will be decreed by a vote of the members of the Tories party.
Le Monde with AFP
The duel in the race for power of the British Conservative Party to the succession of Boris Johnson will oppose Rishi Sunak, the former Minister of Finance, and Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. After an express campaign launched following the resignation, on July 7, of the Prime Minister, carried away by scandals and lies, the British conservative deputies voted a fifth and last time Wednesday July 20 to choose the finalists, one of whom will occupy Downing Street. The 200,000 party members must now decide between them during a correspondence vote, the result of which must be announced on September 5.
It is now acquired that the British government will be directed either for the first time by a non -white man, or for the third time by a woman. The former Minister of Finance Rishi Sunak remained in the lead Tuesday after a fourth vote of the Conservative deputies, before the Secretary of State for International Trade, Penny Mordaunt, followed closely by the head of diplomacy, Liz truss.
Taken his reverence during a last session of questions in Parliament as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson split a “Hasta La Vista, Baby” and advice for the one who will succeed him :
“Stay close to the Americans, support the Ukrainians, fight for freedom and democracy everywhere. Lower the taxes and deregulate where you can make this country the best place to live and invest.”
“I Want to Thank Everybody here, and hasta la vista, Baby.”
Boris Johnson Closes Final Pmqs With Some Advice T… https://t.co/lih1yl6slp
very open race 2>
Rishi Sunak, 42, whose government’s departure in early July helped to precipitate the fall of Boris Johnson, had been in the lead since the first vote. But the competition, very open, was far from being won for the one who seems less popular with the party base than deputies.
For his part, Liz Truss, 46, had been considered unconvincing last week but managed to reduce the gap. She also seems to be the best placed to recover the voices of the former candidate Kemi Badenoch, who represents as she is the right wing of the Tories.
m. Sunak was accused by deputy David Davis of trying to “reallor” some of his votes to Liz Truss in order to eliminate Penny Mordaunt, whom he considers more difficult to beat. “This is the dirtiest campaign I have ever seen,” said Davis on LBC radio.
M me Mordaunt, 49 years old and almost unknown to the British ten days ago, had been propelled favorite in a Yougov survey last week but considered blurred and unconvincing during two televised debates .
The crisis of confidence and integrity issues have marked the campaign, the candidates all claiming wanting to turn – at least on the form – the page of the Johnson era tainted with scandals. The candidates also widely debated the way they intended to tackle the cost of living crisis which strangles British households, while inflation increased in June, reaching 9.4 % over a year.
A debate between the two finalists will be held on July 25 on the BBC, the public audiovisual group announced. It will take place live from Stoke-on-Tret, city in the center of England which had voted more than 69 % for Brexit during the 2016 referendum, in front of an audience of 80 to 100 people.