UK leadership hunt: Tory leader Jeremy Hunt backs Rishi Sunak for PM

Categories: UK NEWS

UK leadership hunt: Tory leader Jeremy Hunt backs Rishi Sunak for PM

Former UK health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who lost the first round of voting, has said he is backing Conservative leader and former chancellor Rishi Sunak in the race to become prime minister. In the last leadership election in 2019, Hunt finished second only to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In an interview to the BBC, Hunt said of his defeat, "Politics is about speed, I'm afraid I didn't have it this time."

When asked who he was supporting, Hunt named Sunak, saying he was "one of the most civilized people" he had met in British politics. When questioned further, he said that the former Indian-origin chancellor was "a man of formidable ability, about having worked very hard over the last two years for our economy, for families up and down the country" thinking".

Sunak won the first round of parliamentarians' voting to choose the next Conservative leader and prime minister. He got 88 votes. Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt finished second (67) and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss third (50). Another round of voting is expected over the next few days, with the remaining candidates Kami Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat and Suella Braverman.

The final two would then be chosen by means of a ballot from members of the Conservative Party. The result is expected on 5th September. The race for the next leadership began after Johnson announced his resignation last week, months after receiving criticism over lockdown parties and other issues in Downing Street.