Mr. Sunak became the first candidate to receive the required 100 public endorsements, but competitors challenged assertions that Mr. Johnson also has the required number. Penny Mordaunt has less than thirty public endorsements from Members of Parliament.
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak enjoyed late-night discussions.
According to reports, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Sunak discussed the possibility of a combined ticket.
Though neither the former prime minister nor the former chancellor has officially declared their candidacy to succeed Liz Truss, the conversation has fueled rumors that the two could reach an agreement.
To be included in the ballot, candidates for the Conservative leadership require the support of at least 100 members of parliament.
With 124 public endorsements, Mr. Sunak has surpassed this criterion, and Mr. Johnson’s aides claim he also has the required number of supporters to run.
However, only 57 members of parliament have declared their support for Mr. Johnson’s bid for a second term as prime minister.
Richard Holden, one of Mr. Sunak’s allies, refuted allegations that Mr. Johnson had the support of 100 MPs, stating that this number of public endorsements “does not exist.”
But Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris told that the former prime minister “absolutely” had the numbers, while Johnson ally James Duddridge claimed he met with MPs at 8 a.m. to “reach out to other groups.”
Penny Mordaunt, the sole candidate who has entered the race, has garnered the support of 23 of her colleagues.
Damian Green, Theresa May’s de facto deputy, supports Ms. Mordaunt, assuring Sophy Ridge that she is “in it to win it” and certain of meeting the nomination bar.
And he warned against “powerful personalities at Westminster stitching up the contest behind closed doors,” since party members “would feel duped.”
Following Ms. Truss’ departure as prime minister, the current election has been accelerated, and nominations for the vote are expected to conclude tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
Mr. Johnson returned from his vacation in the Dominican Republic in economy class, with several fellow passengers jeering him as he boarded the plane.
If all three candidates received 100 endorsements, there would be a vote by MPs, with the top two candidates being presented to the party membership.
A vote would then be held, resulting in the selection of a new leader by Friday.
Kemi Badenoch pledged her support behind the former chancellor in a pivotal time for Team Sunak, after several prominent figures had rushed to Mr. Johnson.
While she admitted to being a member of “the Boris Johnson fan club,” she cautioned that the Conservatives are not “hosting a popularity contest” and that the party is “not a vehicle for any one person’s personal goals.”
The candidacy of the former prime minister suffered another setback when Northern Ireland minister and prominent party figure Steve Baker backed Mr. Sunak.
Disclosing his position to Sophy Ridge, he stated, “Boris would be a sure disaster” and “doomed to fail” – especially with the privileges committee’s probe into whether he misled Parliament over Partygate hovering over him.
Mr. Baker continued, “Voters out there adore him, and he is undeniably a wonderful man – his presence illuminates the room.
“Unfortunately, however, he lacks that rigorous adherence to laborious regulations. He just doesn’t do it. It has now caught up with him.”
However, cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi backed Mr. Johnson this morning, tweeting that his old boss had “learned from [past] mistakes how he could better run Number 10 and the country.”
“Voters must have a voice”
In the meantime, opposition parties continue to demand an urgent general election in light of the continued crisis inside the Conservative Party.
Lisa Nandy, the shadow leveling up secretary for Labour, told Ridge that the upcoming leadership battle would “bring in the arsonists to put out the fire they started.”
She stated, “The drama is simply fantastic, and the one thing it has not been about is the nation.” “Meanwhile, you have folks whose mortgages have increased by more than £500 per month on average.
People are paying a significant price for the continuous turmoil in the Conservative party.
Ms. Nandy remarked, “It is simply insufficient. We need not only a new prime minister but also a new administration.”
Ian Blackford, leader of the SNP in Westminster, has written to Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, inviting him to join with him to put forward a vote of no confidence in the government and cause a general election, but they would need the support of some Conservative MPs to win.
Mr. Blackford stated, “The Conservatives have taken a wrecking ball to the British economy and caused households to suffer, with rising mortgage rates, falling pensions, and surging inflation pushing up household expenditures.
“After causing so much damage, they cannot be permitted to impose a third Conservative prime minister without holding an election. It is inconceivable and anti-democratic. Voters must get a say.”
