Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that he has decided not to stand in the primary to replace Liz Truss as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Johnson said in a statement that, despite having the necessary support from Tory MPs, concluded “it just wouldn’t be right” because “you cannot govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament”.
As he stated, he had the support of 102 “Tory” deputies, two more than necessary to access these first, whose deadline to do so was this Monday at 2:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT). “In recent days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have suggested that I should once again challenge for the leadership of the Conservative Party, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament,” he said in his statement.
The politician, who had resigned last July, admitted that he was attracted to return to power by electoral victory who obtained his training in the 2019 general election, but stressed that the Government must now focus on the economic problems facing families in the United Kingdom.
After admitting that he was in a good position to return to power, in recent days he came “to the conclusion that this simply would not be the right thing to do. You cannot govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.“. Johnson also indicated that he had contacted the other two candidates, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and the leader of the Conservatives in the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, because he hoped to unite them in the national interest, but ” Unfortunately we haven’t been able to find a way to do it.”
“So, I’m afraid it’s best that I don’t let my nomination go ahead and commit my support to whoever succeeds. I think I have a lot to offer, but I’m afraid it’s just not the right time“, concluded the statement. According to media calculations, Sunak has 144 supports while Mordaunt has 24.
The so-called 1922 Committee, which brings together deputies without ministerial positions, organized this process after Liz Truss resigned on Thursday as Conservative leader and prime minister following the controversy surrounding her fiscal program -with tax cuts-, which caused turmoil in financial markets. Johnson had resigned last July after the resignation of numerous members of her Executive as a result of the controversy over the parties at the official Downing Street residence during the pandemic.
Source: Lasexta
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