Page 3 - Boris Johnson

Ousted Boris Johnson eyes comeback as UK Conservatives pick new PM

Several British lawmakers, including scandal-tarnished former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, jockeyed for support Friday to become the country's next leader following the implosion of Liz Truss' historically short-lived government. The governing Conservative Party has ordered a lightning-fast race that aims to have a new prime minister in place within a week. The leadership uncertainty comes at a time of lethargic economic growth and as millions struggle with the rising cost of groceries, fuel and other basics and higher mortgage rates. A growing wave of strikes by train and postal workers, lawyers and more has revealed mounting discontent as a recession looms. Johnson has not even declared he is running, but bookmakers have made him one of the favorites to win the contest reflecting the scale of division and disarray in the party as it picks its third prime minister of the year. It would be an astonishing comeback for a polarising figure forced out just over three months ago amid a

Rishi Sunak holds firm as bookies' favourite to replace Liz Truss as UK PM

A clear frontrunner to take over from Liz Truss as Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister remains uncertain on Friday due to deep divisions among the Tories, but the bookies' odds have rocketed in favour of British Indian former chancellor Rishi Sunak. As the runner up of the leadership election which concluded last month, the former finance minister who had forecast much of the economic crisis unleashed by Truss' mini-budget is seen as a safe pair of hands to take charge at 10 Downing Street. The 42-year-old is holding a solid 55 per cent lead with the Oddschecker betting odds aggregator, followed by a 29 per cent chance of former prime minister Boris Johnson making a comeback. Third placed in what is emerging as a three-way contest is Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, who had polled third in the first round of parliamentary votes to shortlist candidates for the last leadership race. I back Rishi Sunak to be our next PM. He has the plan and credibility to: restore

Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak lead race to become UK's next prime minister

Boris Johnson and former finance minister Rishi Sunak were leading the potential contenders to replace British Prime Minister Liz Truss

Liz Truss quits as UK PM after 45 days; a look at the front-runners

Truss, who came to power on September 6, is the shortest-serving UK prime minister, who succeeded Boris Johnson. She delivered a statement outside 10 Downing Street

Over half of Tory members want Truss to quit, Johnson to take over: Report

Liz Truss suffered a fresh body blow on Tuesday as a poll found more than half of Tory members want her to quit, with Boris Johnson emerging as the favourite to take over, a media report said

Time for Liz Truss, says 'booster rocket' Boris Johnson in farewell speech

Describing himself as a "booster rocket" that has fulfilled its function, Boris Johnson used his farewell speech as British Prime Minister on Tuesday to lament that rules were "changed half way through and called on a fractious Conservative Party to get behind his successor, Liz Truss. "This is it folks, said Johnson, on the steps of Downing Street before leaving for Balmoral Castle in Scotland to meet Queen Elizabeth II to formally resign as the head of government. The 58-year-old, who had announced his resignation in early July in the wake of pressure from within his Cabinet after a series of controversies including the partygate scandal of COVID lockdown law-breaking parties within government quarters, used the occasion to describe himself as a "booster rocket" and lamented the way he was forcibly pushed out of 10 Downing Street by Tory colleagues changing "rules halfway". "In only a couple of hours I will be in Balmoral to see Her Majesty the Queen and the torch will finally be

Why Liz Truss went to Scotland to become UK leader: An explainer

Liz Truss, a onetime accountant who has served in Parliament for the past 12 years, became Britain's prime minister on Tuesday after Queen Elizabeth II formally asked her to form a government. The ceremony, which took place at a royal residence in Scotland, followed a bruising two-month contest to succeed Boris Johnson, who formally offered his resignation to the queen shortly before Truss arrived to take up the mantle. The handover of power is governed by rules and traditions built up over the centuries, as the U.K. evolved from an absolute monarchy to a modern parliamentary democracy where the sovereign plays an important but largely ceremonial role as head of state. Here is a brief description of Tuesday's events and how Britain arrived at this point. HOW DID LIZ TRUSS BECOME PRIME MINISTER? Boris Johnson announced his intention to step down as prime minister and leader of the ruling Conservative Party on July 7, after dozens of Cabinet ministers and lower-level officials resig

Liz Truss vows tax cuts after winning vote to become next British PM

Truss beats ex-finance minister Sunak to be new PM; Boris Johnson to formally step down on Tuesday; new leader faces cost of living, energy price crisis

Britain's Liz Truss expected to be named Conservative leader, new PM

After weeks of an often bad-tempered and divisive party leadership contest that pitted Truss against Rishi Sunak, Monday's announcement will trigger the beginning of a handover from Boris Johnson

UK's outgoing PM Johnson pledges millions to fund new nuclear plant

Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday pledged 700 million pounds (USD 810 million) of government funding for a planned new nuclear power plant as part of a drive to improve the UK's energy security. Johnson said the spike in global gas prices driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine showed why more nuclear generation capacity was needed in the UK. The plant, called Sizewell C, is located on eastern England's Suffolk coast. French energy company EDF, which will partly fund the project, has said it can generate low-carbon electricity for at least 60 years when the project is complete. The plant will reportedly cost about 20 billion pounds (USD 23 billion). Britain's government gave the greenlight for the plant in July, and talks about how to fund it are ongoing. Yes, nuclear always looks relatively expensive to build and to run, Johnson said in his final major policy speech as prime minister. But look at what's happening today, look at the results of Putin's war.

Rishi Sunak pledges to work 'night and day' as UK PM race enters finale

Rishi Sunak pledged to work "night and day" for the best country in the world as the election campaign to take over from Boris Johnson as the Conservative Party leader and the new British Prime Minister entered its final stage on Wednesday, with the very last hustings event set for London. Sunak reiterated his vision statement as the first British Indian to run for the top job at 10 Downing Street ahead of the final campaign event scheduled at a popular concert venue in Wembley on Wednesday evening. The former Chancellor will go head-to-head with his rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for one last time as they fight it out for any remaining Tory members yet to cast their ballots before voting closes on Friday evening. The 42-year-old former finance minister, who has focussed his campaign message on the urgency of getting a grip on inflation and countered 47-year-old Truss' claims that tax cuts are the answer to address the cost-of-living crisis crippling the UK economy, made a ...

More UK energy aid to come under incoming leader, says Nadhim Zahawi

Zahawi's remarks come as economic headwinds build against the UK, with the Bank of England predicting a recession lasting more than a year amid surging inflation

UK PM Boris Johnson slams Russia's 'cultural vandalism' in Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has condemned Russia's "cultural vandalism" in Ukraine, saying invading forces are trying to erase Ukrainian culture in areas they have taken over

UK to announce new support measures for population in September: Johnson

Outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the government will announce new measures to support the population next month amid the pressure of rising energy bills

UK takes stock of Johnson's legacy as Conservatives prepare to evict PM

The moving vans have already started arriving at Downing Street as Britain's Conservative Party prepares to evict Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The debate over what mark he left on his party, his country and the world will linger long after he departs in September if, indeed, he really is gone for good. Johnson led Britain out of the European Union and won a landslide election victory before his government collapsed in a heap of ethics scandals. During his final appearance in Parliament as prime minister in July, he summed up his three years in office as: Mission largely accomplished. Many political historians take a harsher view. Winston Churchill said that History will be kind to me for I intend to write it,' said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. I'm pretty sure Johnson does too, but I doubt he'll find it's as kind to him as it was to his hero. Johnson cultivated a buffoonish public image, but he has had a serious impact on his country. He bea

UK PM Boris Johnson makes surprise visit to Ukraine on Independence Day

Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday made a surprise visit to Ukraine on the country's Independence Day and announced another major support package worth around GBP 54 million in its ongoing conflict with Russia. It marked Johnson's final visit to Ukrainian capital Kyiv before his formal exit from 10 Downing Street early next month to make way for a new British Prime Minister to be formally elected by the Conservative Party members between former Chancellor Rishi Sunak or Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. Committing the UK to the ongoing support as Ukraine defends its sovereignty from Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal and illegal invasion, Johnson declared that Ukraine can and will win. For the past six months, the United Kingdom has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, supporting this sovereign country to defend itself from this barbaric and illegal invader, Johnson said. Today's package of support will give the brave and resilient Ukrainian Armed .

Support for Ukraine must continue until Putin withdraws, says Boris Johnson

Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to repeat the annexation of Crimea in other parts of Ukraine, UK's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson told world leaders

Underdogs don't give up, says Rishi Sunak's new campaign video for UK PM

Two weeks before the UK's Conservative Party leadership election is set to draw to a close, finalist Rishi Sunak's team are promoting a new campaign video cashing in on his "underdog" status with rival Liz Truss' firm lead in the race to succeed Boris Johnson. The video, first used to introduce Sunak at a hustings event in Manchester on Friday night, shows the former Chancellor at a series of campaign events since the race began last month and addressing Tory members who are voting for a new party leader to take charge as British Prime Minister on September 5. "I'll keep fighting for every vote until the final day," Sunak tweeted with the video, which counts down 100 events in 30 days to reach 16,000 party members on the campaign trail. The video shows the 42-year-old British Indian former minister interacting with voters and is also seen catching a quick power nap on a bench as a voiceover praises his efforts to "fight for every inch". "They say beware the underdog, because an ...

Rishi Sunak pledges major civil service overhaul if elected UK PM

Rishi Sunak, the British Indian former Chancellor in the race to be elected the British Prime Minister, on Tuesday pledged a major overhaul of the country's civil service to create a sharper, leaner bureaucracy if he takes charge at 10 Downing Street on September 5. Sunak, who is up against Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in the Conservative Party leadership election to succeed Boris Johnson, wants civil servants to spend at least a year of their career outside government roles in industry to widen their experience. Under a Sunak-led government, they will no longer receive pay rewards based on the longevity of their service but performance instead. As Chancellor, I saw parts of the British Civil Service at its best, delivering world class COVID support schemes in record time. But the bloated post-COVID state is in need of a shake up so I will create a sharper, leaner civil service, said Sunak. I'll press ahead with cuts to back office Civil Service headcount, recruiting and retaining t

Appalled at attack on Salman Rushdie, says British PM Boris Johnson

UK PM Boris Johnson expressed his shock at author Salman Rushdie being stabbed by a man at an event in New York and condemned the attack on his freedom of expression