Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Minister Liz Truss will now compete for the post of the new Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt has dropped out of the race to become the new leader of the ruling Conservative Party.
MPs from Britain’s ruling Conservative Party voted on Wednesday to choose a successor to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Former finance minister Rishi Sunak and foreign minister Liz Truss came in first and second with 137 and 113 votes, respectively.
Trade Minister Penny Mordant finished third with 105 votes and was eliminated from the running for the party’s new leader.
Now there will be a contest between the first and second place candidates, and the winner will be the leader of the Conservative Party and the new Prime Minister of Great Britain as Johnson’s successor.
Johnson was forced to resign this month due to several other scandals, including lockdown violations during Covid-19.
Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, Johnson appeared in the Houses of Parliament for the last time as British prime minister and took part in a debate.
He later laughed about the voting issue, saying, “I didn’t take it seriously.”
What Did Johnson Say?
Dozens of government officials had handed in their resignations to pressure Boris Johnson to resign as leader of the Conservative Party.
After that, Prime Minister Of Great Britain Boris Johnson announced his resignation as the party leader.
During his final address to parliament on Wednesday, Johnson also offered advice to his potential successor.
“Stay close to the Americans. Stand by the Ukrainians. Stand together for freedom and democracy everywhere in the world,” he said.
Johnson also praised his government’s measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic and continued support for Kyiv against Moscow.
“We helped, I helped, to rid this country of an epidemic and to save a country from barbarism. And we must continue to do so,” he said.
What Will Happen Next?
According to the British electoral system, the Prime Minister can be replaced even without a general election.
Parliament adjourned for summer recess on Thursday.
Conservative Party members will now choose their new leader over the next six weeks.
About two hundred thousand members of the party will participate in this election.
The candidate with the highest number of votes will then also become the Prime Minister.
The results will be declared on September 5. Boris Johnson will remain acting Prime Minister Of Great Britain until his successor is elected.
Who Are The Candidates For The Next Prime Minister Of Great Britain?
Forty-two years old Rishi Sunak is a former finance minister of Indian origin.
His reputation took a hit when it was revealed that he had flouted the lockdown during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A lot of hopes are being pinned on Rishi Sunak in India.
Polling results show that Liz Truss is very popular among members of the Conservative Party.
Truss, 46, is leading Britain’s post-Brexit negotiations to set trade rules.
She is also known for taking a tough stance against the European Union.
There are differences between Sunak and Truss on several policy issues.
