BROMSGROVE MP Sajid Javid is backing fellow former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to be the Conservatives’ new leader and the new Prime Minister.
Another leadership race was triggered on Thursday after Liz Truss’ resignation following just 44 days in the job – making her the Prime Minister to serve the shortest amount of time in UK history.
Mr Javid, who backed Ms Truss in the previous contest, said: “Our responsibility as public servants is to make decisions in the national interest, especially at a time like this.
“Our country desperately needs economic stability, hard-headed decision making and strong leadership.
“It is abundantly clear that Rishi Sunak has what it takes to match the challenges we face – he is the right persn to lead our party and take the country forward.
“I believe it is in the national interest to have a strong Conservative Party.
“The only way for our party to reclaim our values and recover our reputation for stewardship is to move on from mistakes of the past and come together to focus on the future.”
The contest, unlike the previous drawn-out one lasting months, will be decided by Friday at the latest.
The first stipulation is for the contenders to have the backing of 100 Conservative MPs. As there are 350 Tory Members of Parliament, it means there will only be three ‘finalists’ maximum.
If only one reaches that total by the cut-off point on Monday, they will become the new PM.
If three make the cut, the top two will go to an online vote of grassroot Conservative members with the winner being announced on Friday.
Reports suggest Sunak already has 100 MPs backing him and that Boris Johnson is heading back from a holiday in the Caribbean to be part of the race just months after resigning from the role.
The other MP tipped to join the race is Penny Morduant who fared well in the last leadership race.
Mr Sunak, the finalist with Liz Truss in the previous contest, was heavily critical of her economic plans and claimed they would damage the country.
