One of the top candidates to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister has said he will not run in the next leadership competition as other Conservative MPs launched their campaigns.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was the favorite among Conservative bases, with a net approval rating of +86 among party members according to the ConservativeHome website. He was also a favorite in the odds of several bookmakers.
But on Saturday, in an unexpected announcement, he said he would not stay after a “careful consideration” with his family and colleagues.
“It hasn’t been an easy choice to make, but my focus is on my current job and keeping this great country safe,” he said. “I wish the best of luck to all candidates and hope that we will quickly return to focusing on the issues we are all chosen to address.”
It is likely that Wallace’s strong position among party members will cause his support to be eagerly courted by other contenders.
New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi threw his hat into the ring on Saturday, saying he wanted to “consolidate the ship and stabilize the economy,” according to Sky News.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps also announced that he was standing up and tried to bring together MPs who remain loyal to the outgoing Prime Minister. He told the Sunday Times that “I like Boris Johnson.”
“It’s easy to criticize Boris after holding his head for years and being happy to benefit from his sponsorship. I’m glad I didn’t do that,” he said.
Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Friday launched his leadership candidacy with a video in which he pledged to end the “comforting fairy tales,” an attack codified in Johnson’s time as prime minister.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will launch her campaign in the coming days, according to those who know her plans.
Recommended
It is expected to try to differentiate itself from Sunak in the economy, promising tax cuts and supply reform. A Truss ally said, “She’s definitely not the candidate for the continuity of the economy.”
He will advocate for “a clear vision of the economy based on conservative principles,” another ally said. In addition to arguing to cut regulation, Truss will focus on EU regulatory divergence.
His presentation to Conservative MPs will argue that he can keep Johnson’s voting coalition united in all parts of England. One supporter claimed that “no other candidate” can support both the so-called “red wall” of former Labor nuclei and the “blue wall” of suburban seats that conservatives risk losing to Liberal Democrats.
Kemi Badenoch, the former equality minister, announced her leadership candidacy on Saturday. In an article, he outlined a platform for libertarian ideals and state reform. “I want to tell the truth, it is the truth that will set us free,” he wrote.
Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the House of Commons select foreign affairs committee, and Suella Braverman, attorney general, have already said they will run.
Steve Baker, a former Conservative minister and influential voice among subsequent banks, said earlier in the week that he was considering a leadership offer. But on Saturday he announced he would not stay and gave his support behind Braverman.
He told Sky News he had “a meticulous understanding of the details” and “a great spirit of resolution.”
The contest will take place in two phases. In the first, Conservative MPs will reduce a long list of candidates to just two. Then there will be a campaign among the party’s 100,000 militants, who will decide the next leader.
Senior 1922 committee executive deputies said there was a desire to complete the parliamentary element of the two-stage contest before the Commons broke their summer recess on July 21st.