Race for U.K. Prime Minister Heats Up as Nominations Roll In

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Times

LONDON — The competition to replace Liz Truss as Britain’s prime minister intensified on Sunday, with Rishi Sunak pulling ahead in the scramble for votes of Conservative lawmakers, but Boris Johnson mounting a lively campaign to reclaim the job he gave up three months ago amid a cascade of scandals.

Mr. Sunak, who formally declared his candidacy with a promise to “fix our economy,” had lined up at least 144 votes by early Sunday afternoon, according to a tally by the BBC, more than double the 56 votes pledged to Mr. Johnson. A third candidate, Penny Mordaunt, had 23.

Beyond the numerical advantage, Mr. Sunak has picked up significant endorsements from people on the right flank of the Conservative Party. On Sunday morning, Steve Baker, a lawmaker who represents an influential group of euro-skeptics in Parliament, announced he would support Mr. Sunak.

“Boris Johnson would be a guaranteed disaster,” Mr. Baker told Sophy Ridge of Sky News. “We cannot allow it to happen.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/23/world/europe/uk-prime-minister-race-sunak-johnson.html

[amb123]

1. The Conservatives will be committing Partycide

if Boris Johnson comes back as leader. Simple as that.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. That's something to hope for.

[peppertree]

3. Time was when being a money launderer was a career ender in politics - but Sunak may prove otherwise

Poison Sunak, they'll call him before long.

[IronLionZion]

4. Rishi Sunak will fix it with tax cuts

Sunak's pledges during the campaign included tax cuts only when inflation was under control, scrapping of the 5% VAT rate on household energy for one year, introducing a temporary £10 fine for patients who fail to attend GP appointments, capping of refugee numbers, and a tightening of the definition of asylum.

Maybe UK should elect some liberals and see if things get better

[paleotn]

7. Hate to bring this up, but....

Capping refugees and tightening asylum? That's rich coming from someone in the UK named Rishi Sunak. Gee, ya know that doesn't sound Celtic, Saxon or of Norman extraction. Pull up the ladder much there Rishi?

[IronLionZion]

10. I don't trust minority conservatives

but I really hate the ones who step on other minorities.

[ARandomPerson]

13. Then don't.

Just don't.

You can slam Sunak's immigration policies on their merits -- there's no need to bring ethnicity up. That's a choice. Don't make it.

[paleotn]

14. On it's merits, certainly, but also on the fact that....

he has no right whatsoever to even have a UK immigration position. That's complete hypocrisy, so I will go there. I typed "I shouldn't bring this up, but" not because it's wrong in my mind, but because some tend to get their panties in a wad in a fit of self righteousness. Sorry, but I detest "climb up and pull up the ladder" assholes and I will call them out on it.

[ARandomPerson]

15. "he has no right whatsoever"

He has a particular ethnicity, skin color, and family history -- and that, in your opinion, restricts the the range of views he's allowed to have. If he were white, you would counter the views themselves, but he's brown and therefore you (in your opinion) can get personal. Somehow you have that right.

Okay ... we're not going to agree and so I won't argue the point. I will simply state that I think this method of argumentation is not acceptable.

[Pantagruel]

5. Any Brit candidates

running on scuttling Brexit?

[brooklynite]

6. This is only a Tory leadership challenge...

…and it’s completely impractical to re-enter the EU in the short or even medium term.

[Old Crank]

8. If I could

I would plump for Paddington Bear.

[IronLionZion]

11. Or Larry the Cat

Larry would be more ferocious while Paddington might be more gentle and diplomatic.

[NullTuples]

9. The right flank of the Conservative Party...that doesn't sound too good.

It's like they screwed up, realized they screwed up, doubled down, realized that made it worse and now they're going to double down again.

[IronLionZion]

12. Boris Johnson drops his bid

Boris Johnson drops bid to return to power in U.K., reports say
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/23/uk-prime-minister-contest-drama/