Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak finalists in Downing Street race

Published on: 07/20/2022 – 17:54Modified on: 07/20/2022 – 18:03 After the resignation of Boris Johnson, the Conservative MPs appointed, on Wednesday, after several days of debate, their two candidates for succeed him. Who of ex-finance minister and favorite Rishi Sunak or foreign minister Liz Truss will arrive in Downing Street? Response expected on September 5. One of them will become British Prime Minister: former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Minister Liz Truss qualified on Wednesday July 20 for the final duel in the race for Downing Street to succeed Boris Johnson. Selected by party MPs after a series of five votes, the two competitors will be decided by the 200,000 members of the Conservative Party, after a postal vote whose result is expected on September 5. Rishi Sunak secured 137 votes from Conservative MPs, ahead of Liz Truss (113 votes) and Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Penny Mordaunt eliminated with 105 votes, according to results announced by Graham Brady, head of the organization of the internal ballot. After the resignation on July 7 of Boris Johnson, swept away by scandals, it is now certain that the British government will be led either for the first time by a non-white man, or for the third time by a woman. having placed your trust in me”, reacted on Twitter Liz Truss. “Hasta la vista, baby” Bowing out during a final question and answer session in Parliament as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson delivered a “Hasta la vista, baby” and advice for those who her successor: “Stay close to Americans, support Ukrainians, fight for freedom and democracy everywhere. Lower taxes and deregulate where you can to make this country the best place to live and invest.” At the last moment, the teams of the three candidates activated themselves to obtain the votes of the Conservative MPs, in particular those who supported the former Secretary of State for Equality Kemi Badenoch, eliminated on Tuesday. Rishi Sunak, 42, whose the departure of the government at the beginning of July contributed to hastening the fall of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been in the lead since the first vote. However, the competition, very open, is far from won for the one who seems less popular with the base of the party that to deputies. According to a YouGov poll published on Tuesday, the ex-finance minister would be largely beaten in the final regardless of his opponent. Conversely, Liz Truss, 46, was deemed unconvincing last week but managed to reduce the gap. She also seems best placed to recover the votes of Kemi Badenoch, who like her represents the right wing of the Tories. The crisis of confidence and questions of integrity marked the campaign, the candidates all saying they want to turn – at least on form – the scandal-ridden Johnson-era page. The candidates also debated widely over how they intended to tackle the cost of living crisis that is strangling British households, as inflation accelerated further in June, to 9.4% year on year. debate between the two finalists will be held next Monday on the BBC, announced the public audiovisual group. It will take place live from Stoke-on-Trent, a city in central England which voted more than 69% for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, in front of an audience of 80 to 100 people. With AFP