Inside Politics: Ready 4 Rishi
Boris Johnson pulls out of Tory leadership race, paving way for Sunak coronation, writes Matt Mathers
Hello there, I’m Matt Mathers and welcome to The Independent’s Inside Politics newsletter.
Another week. Must be time for a new prime minister?
Inside the bubble
Commons action gets underway at 2.30pm with education questions followed by a debate on updated government spending plans and economic legislation. Deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England, Dave Ramsden, will be on committee corridor for a reappointment hearing with the treasury committee at 3.15pm. Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney will be giving evidence to the environmental audit committee on net zero at 2.45pm.
Daily briefing
Ready 4 Rishi
Boris Johnson pulled out of the Conservative Party leadership contest last night in the way only he could, leaving the door open for a potential Rishi Sunak coronation. In a short statement, the former PM essentially said that he could’ve won the race but that – in the interests of the country and his party – it wasn’t the right time and so he was calling it quits.
Those comments directly contradicted some of the noises coming out of Johnson’s camp before he flew back to the UK over the weekend from his 112th holiday this year and might raise the eyebrows of even the most casual observers of his political career. Critics might argue that he has never put his party or the country above his own personal ambition.
Johnson claimed to have the 100 backers needed to get on the ballot but only 54 publicly declared. Team Sunak and other critics questioned whether Johnson’s supporters had been telling the truth about the numbers, which perhaps says a lot about why he might not be the man for the job.
Sunak, the former chancellor, now looks like the PM in waiting. At the time of writing he had 155 public backers against Penny Mordaunt’s 25. The Commons leader, who gave a shaky interview to the BBC yesterday, insists that she can make it onto the ballot but even if all of Johnson’s backers switched to her it would still not be enough to get her over the line, although a number of Conservative MPs are yet to declare.
The deadline for nominations closes at 2pm today. If Mordaunt does manage to get to 100 then between 3.30pm and 5.30pm Tories MPs will take part in an indicative vote, signaling to the members who they prefer, with the result expected at 6pm. The vote would then be put to the party faithful if neither candidate withdraws. If Mordaunt does not reach 100 Sunak will be crowned the new leader and by extension PM.
Tax loophole clampdown
Democracy campaigner Gina Miller will today issue a call for a clampdown on tax loopholes, backed by the creation of a new Fair Tax Office, as she unveils the first slate of candidates to fight the general election for her True and Fair Party.
Miller, who defeated Johnson’s government in the courts over Brexit, will be among the first group of nine candidates, and will stand in the seat of a prominent former Tory minister.
She said that reforms to tax policy and improved funding for HM Revenue and Customs could bring in £5.6bn a year – enough to pay for nearly 170,000 nurses.
On the record
Johnson hints at a return in the future.
“I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.”
From the Twitterati
Sky News politics editor Beth Rigby on Johnson’s withdrawal.
“It was the most Johnson way of admitting defeat – but even he couldn’t defy political gravity. The parliamentary party isn’t ready for his return.”
Essential reading
- John Rentoul, The Independent: Boris Johnson bottles it – again – clearing the way for Rishi Sunak
- Hamish McRae, The Independent: Who do the markets want as the next prime minister?
- Clare Foges, The Times: Next prime minister must confront the truth about Brexit
- Bel Trew, The Independent: Will Russia’s Iranian drones prompt Israel to arm Ukraine?
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