A RACE to replace Boris Johnson has already seen a number of eager contenders announce their interest in the top role. 

Several senior members of the cabinet have hinted at their intentions to succeed the current Prime Minister as the Tory leader, or have previously been open about their leadership ambitions.

Mr Johnson officially resigned on Thursday after 59 members of his Government quit in less than 48 hours. He will continue to act as Prime Minister until a new Conservative leader is announced. 

However, some keen politicians hinted at taking up the role before he even made an official statement. 

Ben Wallace

The Herald:

A poll of Conservative party members has revealed the current defence secretary is the favourite to become Tory leader. 

Ben Wallace was shown to beat the top contestants when placed in a head-to-head contest, the YouGov survey showed. 

However, when 716 Conservative party members were asked to choose their favourite single choice revealed a tight race. 

When pitted directly against one other candidates, Wallace beat others including Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt.  

The former soldier has received increased attention since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. 

He continued to back Boris Johnson and previously led his unsuccessful 2017 leadership campaign.

Liz Truss

 

The foreign secretary has remained a strong ally of Boris Johnson throughout the turmoil, but has also long been clear about her ambition for leadership,

Liz Truss even cut an official trip to Indonesia short to return in time for the official resignation.

In recent months, she has taken credit for securing the release of  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after six years and leading sanctions on Russia and its oligarchs.

It is understood that she has been laying the groundwork for a leadership campaign for months.

Rishi Sunak 

The Herald:

Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak was previously one of the frontrunners to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative leader. 

The introduction of the furlough scheme at the start of the pandemic boosted his popularity but he has faced backlash after cutting the Universal Credit brought in around the same time.

However, recent months have dented his reputation after he was among the Tories to receive a fine for breaching lockdown rules during a Met Police investigation. 

Controversy over his wife's tax status also impacted his frontrunner status. 

Nevertheless, Mr Sunak was among the first to resign over the handling of the Chris Pincher affair which triggered a mass exodus of Government members.

Sajid Javid

The Herald:

Sajid Javid triggered what became over 50 resignations, alongside Rishi Sunak, by quitting minutes after Boris Johnson had been forced to apologise over the Chris Pincher affair.

The MP for Bromsgrove delivered a bruising resignation speech in the chamber and stated that “the problem starts at the top".

He is not new to the top job race, having reached the final four in the 2019 leadership election before dropping out to support Boris Johnson.

Endorsements have already began rolling in, including from former schools minister Robin Walker who said he hoped Nadhim Zahawi and Sajid Javid would both run to be the next Conservative Party leader.

Nadhim Zahawi

The Herald:

Two days into his new role as Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi called for Boris Johnson to “go now” early on Thursday morning.

Mr Zahawi had early success as the vaccines minister, helping to lead the Government’s vaccine programme following his appointment in November 2020. He was later promoted to the cabinet as education secretary.

Having fled the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, he moved to the UK with his family in 1967. He became MP for Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2010.

Penny Mordaunt

The Herald:

Penny Mordaunt made history when she became the UK’s first female defence secretary but was fired by Boris Johnson when he became Prime Minister.

The Royal Navy reservist and vocal Brexiteer has been clear in her criticism over the partygate scandal.

She played a prominent role in the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and has previously reportedly enjoyed the backing of Dame Andrea Leadsom among others.

She is currently an international trade minister and remains popular among Conservative loyalists.

Jeremy Hunt

The Herald: Jeremy Hunt

The former foreign secretary and ex-health secretary has been a vocal critic of Boris Johnson after emerging runner-up to Mr Johnson in 2019.

As chairman of the Commons Health Committee, he has used his position to make a number of critical interventions on the Government’s handling of the pandemic.

He was also a strong advocate of lockdown measures unlike many other of the party members.

Suella Braverman

The Herald:

The Attorney General was one of the first to come out and launch an unlikely leadership bid on Wednesday evening.

However, the MP is likely to remain an outsider in the leadership competition. Suella Braverman has been a long-term supporter of Boris Johnson.  

She did call for Boris Johnson to resign however confirmed she had not spoken to him directly before he officially resigned.

Tom Tugendhat

 

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee became the first to announce his intention to stand for leader should Mr Johnson be turfed out – with his declaration made in January.

A Remainer in 2016, the former soldier has been a trenchant critic of Mr Johnson – a stance that would appear to have cost him any chance of ministerial role under the current leadership.

He recently sought to distance himself from a call by his fellow Remainer, Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood, for the UK to rejoin the EU single market.

Steve Baker

 

Confirming himself he is seriously considering putting his name in the ring for leadership, former minister Steve Baker claimed he had already received encouragement from fellow members to go for the role.

Mr Baker successfully plotted to oust Theresa May as prime minister but, despite his credentials as a Brexit die-hard, he is not a household name.