The race begins to succeed Boris Johnson with Mordaunt, Sunak and Truss as the main favorites

Former Minister of Health Matt Hancock has already confirmed that he will not try to take over the position

MADRID, 7 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The imminent resignation of Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party after the resounding loss of support within the Government has once again put on the table the need to elect a candidate to succeed the president.

During the last few days, in which more than fifty senior officials have left their positions within the Executive, Johnson has received numerous requests to leave power.

The Conservatives have thus taken a step forward in the framework of an internal crisis that dates back to the report published by Sue Gray on the parties held in Downing Street during the coronavirus pandemic and that has worsened after the controversy surrounding the person in charge of maintain voting discipline in the 'tory' caucus, Chris Pincher.

The British 'premier', who has defended his management at the head of the Government at all times, was subjected in early June to a motion of internal censure from which he was successful despite the fact that the opposition and even prominent members of the Conservative Party insisted openly insisted that Johnson resign.

Now, with his political future hanging in the balance, the Tory leader has even lost the support of relevant figures such as the Ministers of Health and Finance, Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak, respectively.

It is precisely the lack of a direct successor that has made the deputies hesitant to put more pressure on Johnson to leave office; there are no potential candidates.

Most potential successors have been cautious about expressing their position on the matter, although the name of former defense minister Penny Mordaunt has gained traction in recent days.

The deputy has become one of the favorites among the conservative ranks, although several polls of party members over the weekend place her behind the current defense minister, Ben Wallace.

Mordaunt, who has repeatedly targeted Downing Street but was branded disloyal when she showed support for Jeremy Hunt when he tried to succeed May in 2019, has been one of the most critical figures in the Downing Street party scandal. in the midst of a pandemic.

Wallace, for his part, has excelled in dealing with situations such as the evacuation from Afghanistan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, he represents a stark change from Johnson in his approach to politics.

Until a few months ago, Sunak was emerging as the main favorite to succeed Johnson in office. A survey carried out in January indicated that practically half of the members of the Conservative Party considered him a better leader than the prime minister himself.

However, the introduction of various policies -- such as tax increases -- have caused his popularity to plummet among the 'Tory' ranks. In addition, the minister has been splashed by the 'Partygate' after attending Johnson's birthday party during confinement. Still, his quick decision to leave the Cabinet could translate into an increase in his popularity.

Another of the names that resonates strongly is that of the Foreign Minister, Liz Truss, an ally of Johnson and who has not hesitated to convey her support to him, an issue that is seen by many as an attempt to gain the support of the main figures loyal to the president.

Jeremy Hunt's name also stands out among the possible candidates. The former health and foreign minister has often been seen as a safe replacement for the prime minister should the need arise. However, his figure has been losing followers given his reservations about taking a step forward after the resignation of Javid and Sunak.

Javid himself could also be on the list of possible candidates given that he has held important ministries in the British Government. The British politician, the son of a Pakistani migrant, already tried to take office in 2016 along with Stephen Crabb. In 2020 he resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer after Downing Street insisted on choosing his team of advisers.

Likewise, the Minister of Education, Nadhim Zahawi, has emerged as one of the favorites given his track record within the Government. Zahawi surprised his fellow 'Tories' when he was in charge of managing vaccines in the framework of the pandemic and has been able to alleviate the controversy in educational matters inherited from his predecessor, Gavin Williamson.

He is joined by Tom Tugendhat, a former Army officer and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons, who could be one of the main options for moderate Conservatives.

Although it would be unusual to appoint someone who lacks ministerial experience as prime minister, some MPs believe that a candidate who has not been involved in government would be ideal.

The name of Matt Hancock, former Minister of Health, was also on the list until this Thursday. The conservative politician has refused to run and has asked Johnson to resign as soon as possible. For him, his departure is "inevitable" in the coming days, according to information from the BBC television network.

Hancock has stated that the best thing would be for Johnson to leave office now to "start a process" to find the next prime minister, although he has stressed that it would be "the right thing" to remain in office until a replacement is found.

The names of deputies such as Mark Harper, Michael Gove or Priti Patel also appear on the list and could give a surprise.