List of possible successors Boris Johnson gets longer and longer | NOW

The list of possible successors to Boris Johnson continues to grow. Since the British Prime Minister on Thursday departure announced, nine candidates have already signed up to take Johnson’s place, according to British media. Who are they?

Johnson is stepping down as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party, but wants to carry out the duties of the head of government this summer until a successor is known. As expected, there are many interested parties who want to take a shot at leadership.

This is how the upcoming elections work in the Conservative Party

• Interested parties can stand for election if they are supported by at least eight party members.
• Then the voting rounds begin. After the first round, candidates with less than eighteen votes are eliminated.
• In the second round, all candidates who receive less than 36 votes are eliminated.
• After that, the candidate with the fewest votes per ballot is eliminated. This process is repeated until there are two candidates left, after which a decisive ballot follows.

Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt

The two most recent announcements were made by former health minister Sajid Javid and former health and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt. They announced their participation in the race in separate interviews with the British newspaper The Sunday Telegraph.

Both candidates argue for less taxes by significantly lowering corporate income tax from 25 percent to 15 percent. In addition, Javid wants to scrap an increase in social insurance and Hunt will focus on companies.

Rishi Sunak

With their plans for tax cuts, Javid and Hunt are diametrically opposed to former Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak. Sunak, who was the first to run for office, said tax cuts would have to wait for the UK economy to recover. The budget that Sunak drafted last year as finance minister would herald the highest tax burden since 1950.

Sunak’s departure as Chancellor of the Exchequer caused an outcry within the British cabinet, which ultimately forced Johnson to resign.

Sunak is one of the favorites of the British bookmakers, but the people are not always fans of him. He was praised for the relief measures he initiated at the start of the corona pandemic, but was later criticized for not providing sufficient financial support for the middle class.

Liz Truss

Various media reported on Saturday that Foreign Minister Liz Truss is also running for election. The Mail on Sunday wrote that she will start her campaign Monday and that she promises to cut taxes and living costs.

Grant Shapps

Transport Minister Grant Shapps also wants to become prime minister. He said to The Sunday Times that he wants to focus on the recovery of the economy. For example, he would like to tackle the effects of inflation and the energy crisis by cutting taxes on the lowest incomes and giving state aid to companies that use a lot of energy.

Shapps would in any case not call new national elections if he is elected by his own party.

Nadhim Zahawi

Nadhim Zahawi was appointed finance minister this week after Sunak stepped down. The newspaper The Independent wrote on Saturday that he is the subject of an investigation by the British tax authorities, an agency that falls under his own department. However, he is not suspected of anything.

Sky News writes that Zahawi will officially stand as a candidate on Monday, but cites a speech by Zahawi that would indicate the candidacy: “The tax burden is too high. As an entrepreneur and businessman, I know that lower taxes contribute to a healthy and dynamic economy. Under my supervision taxes will be lower for individuals, families and businesses.”

Kemi Badenoch

Former Deputy Minister of Equality Kemi Badenoch is also running for election. Badenoch made Saturday in the British newspaper The Times announced that she will be a candidate. “I’m stepping forward because I want to tell the truth,” she writes. Badenoch stepped down last week because of the way Johnson performed his position.

Also Tom Tugendhat in Suella Braverman announced their intention to run in the leadership elections.

One of the favorites, Ben Wallace, just announced that he would not participate. The defense minister wrote on Twitter that the choice was not an easy one, but that he wants to focus on his current job as defense minister and protecting the country. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is also not running for election.