Three days after helping to spark the wave of resignations that forced the resignation of the prime minister, the former finance minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has declared his candidacy to succeed Boris Johnson.
The latest in a string of scandals that have gravely damaged public trust led to a widespread uprising in Johnson's Conservative Party, which led to his resignation as prime minister on Thursday.
In addition to the already challenging combination of skyrocketing inflation, slowing growth, and industrial unrest, Johnson's impending departure has also increased political uncertainty. The Ukraine war and the UK's ongoing struggle to adjust to life after Brexit serve as additional obstacles.
"Someone needs to seize this opportunity and act wisely. That's why I'm running to be your prime minister and the next leader of the Conservative Party, Sunak stated in a video shared on Twitter.
I'm running to be your Prime Minister and the incoming leader of the Conservative Party.
Let's repair trust, the economy, and bring the nation back together. #Ready4Rishi
Do we tell ourselves soothing fairy tales that might make us feel better in the present but will leave our children worse off later, or do we address this situation with honesty, seriousness, and commitment, he asked.
Johnson decided to resign after a series of events that started when Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid left the cabinet on Tuesday, minutes apart.
A party committee is expected to announce the guidelines and schedule for the election to replace Johnson the following week.
According to detractors, Sunak's budget from the previous year undercut his claim that he was in favour of lower taxes by putting the UK on track for its highest tax burden since the 1950s.
Sunak handled around 400 billion pounds ($481 billion) in economic assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing a significant increase in unemployment but allowing state borrowing to reach a record high for peacetime in the face of a historically low GDP.
After raising income taxes in April to pay for increasing health and social care spending and announcing plans to dramatically increase company tax in 2023, Sunak's standing with Conservative lawmakers later suffered.
Attorney General Suella Braverman and Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat have both made official announcements of their candidacies.
According to a source close to the former health and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, who lost to Johnson in 2019, a reelection bid was "almost probable."
Johnson objects.
Johnson resisted calls for him to resign immediately and cede control to his deputy, Dominic Raab, in the meantime.
There was no discussion of Raab taking over as interim leader, according to Johnson's spokeswoman.
"The prime minister is conducting himself according to protocol. The work of the government will continue until that happens, and he will remain prime minister until a new party leader is in place, he told reporters.
Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of Labour, stated that if the Conservatives do not quickly remove Johnson, the main opposition party intends to call a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
In an interview with the newspaper, she declared, "We can't have another couple of months of this. He's a known liar who's embroiled in slime."
If they don't, a no-confidence vote will be called since it is obvious that neither the House of Commons nor the British public have trust in him.