RISHI SUNAK TAKES LEAD TO BECOME NEXT PM OF UK, NINE IN FRAY

British Indian former Cabinet minister Rishi Sunak maintained his lead as the race to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and next UK Prime Minister widened on July 10. A total of nine candidates are in the fray, with Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt emerging as the second favourite.

The 42-year-old is the son-in-law of Infosys co-found Narayan Murthy.

The complete line-up so far for the leadership race includes Goan-origin Attorney General Suella Braverman, Iraqi-origin Nadhim Zahawi, Nigerian-origin Kemi Bedanoch and Tory backbencher Tom Tugendhat.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is expected to declare her candidacy soon too, taking the total to 10 potential candidates in one of the widest battlefields for a Tory leadership race.

“Our leadership has to change. It needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship,” said Mordaunt, who is now second ranked in the bookmaker’s odds with Sunak still ahead.

“If I become Prime Minister, I will protect women’s rights and ensure women and girls enjoy the same freedom most males take for granted in feeling safe from assault and abuse,” the U.K.-born former Chancellor said on July 10.

Sunak had launched his bid with a pledge to restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country. He is yet to lay out his plans in full but has so far not indicated any immediate tax cuts if elected leader.

The timetable for the leadership contest is expected to be announced next week after a meeting on Monday of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbench MPs, who set the rules for the race.

It will be a two-stage process, with Conservative MPs whittling down the field to two candidates through successive rounds of voting, before the wider Tory party membership elect their winner.

It is expected that the new Conservative Party leader would be known by early September.