Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson have not struck a deal ahead of the Conservative Party leadership election this week. The two candidates for the succession of Prime Minister Lizz Truss who resigned on Thursday spoke to each other late Saturday night, according to British media.
What exactly they were talking about has not been disclosed, but the chief political editor of The Times knows that no agreement has been reached. British media speculate that the two would have tried to avoid an imminent split in the party. Sunak would have offered Johnson a prominent position in an upcoming cabinet, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
According to the British media, Sunak is able to gather enough supporters within the party to stand as a candidate. On Sunday morning, the BBC reported that Sunak is well ahead of Johnson in terms of statements of support. According to the broadcaster, the former finance minister has 129 MPs behind him, compared to 53 for Boris Johnson.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Johnson, who had to resign after numerous scandals earlier this year, say he has enough support to compete for the party leadership and thus the premiership. Monday afternoon is the deadline for nominations and then at least one hundred statements of support must be submitted.
So far, only party leader Penny Mordaunt has officially applied, but according to the BBC she has only managed to get 23 delegates behind her. Still, she said on Sunday morning she was confident in a good outcome. “We are making good progress. I compete to win.” She denied making a deal with Johnson to support him.
If only one candidate has the necessary hundred statements of support on Monday afternoon, that candidate automatically becomes the new party leader and thus also prime minister of Great Britain.
Also read: Any new Boris Johnson tenure already in jeopardy? Who paid for their expensive resorts? (+)
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