Johnson calls on Tories to support “any candidate but Sunak” in race to elect his successor

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has asked this Friday the Conservative MPs to support “any candidate except (Rishi) Sunak”, former Finance Minister, in the race to choose his successor a week after he resigned as leader of the ‘Tories’.

The ‘premier’ had previously indicated that he would “not support” any candidate to lead the Conservative Party or intervene publicly in the debate. However, sources close to the newspaper ‘The Times’ have indicated that the president has bet on the Foreign Minister, Liz Truss, to be the new head of the Executive.

Thus, Johnson has held a series of conversations with several candidates in which he has made it clear that Sunak should not be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as these sources have pointed out.

Moreover, the Conservative politician would prefer U.K. Secretary of State for Trade Penny Mordaunt to Sunak, who garnered the most support on Thursday for the second time in the balloting to choose Johnson’s successor.

The Conservative Party presented Tuesday the final list with the eight names that opt to succeed Johnson, a process that will be left out of the candidates who collect less support in successive ballots until two contenders remain. The final result will be announced after the summer.