A crowded field of contenders is vying to replace Boris Johnson as the next Tory leader and British prime minister.
Here are the British MPs who have thrown their hat in the ring:
Rishi Sunak
I’m standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister.
Let’s restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country. #Ready4Rishi
Sign up 👉 https://t.co/KKucZTV7N1 pic.twitter.com/LldqjLRSgF— Ready For Rishi (@RishiSunak) July 8, 2022
Age: 42.
Experience: was Britain's chancellor of the exchequer until July 5th when he quit in protest over Boris Johnson’s leadership.
Key message: Mr Sunak has positioned himself as the candidate prepared to tell hard truths about the state of the public finances rather than “comforting fairy tales” – something that may not endear him to Tory MPs and activists eager for tax cuts.
Campaign name: Ready for Rishi.
Penny Mordaunt
Our leadership has to change. It needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship. https://t.co/NlpxAb9Dp4#pm4pm pic.twitter.com/hhfFXD6KCs
— Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) July 10, 2022
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Age: 49.
Experience: Currently Britain's trade minister and also has cabinet experience in the defence and international development briefs.
Key message: Her campaign launch video highlighted the need for “solemnity and wisdom” in contrast to the Johnson era. Ms Mordaunt, a British Royal Navy Reservist, said leadership “needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship”. She has pledged a 50 per cent cut in VAT on fuel.
Campaign name: PM 4 PM.
Liz Truss
I have a clear vision for our country and economy - and the experience and resolve to deliver it.https://t.co/koPyqw4wIG#lizforleader pic.twitter.com/V9jENJmyj6
— Liz for Leader (@trussliz) July 11, 2022
Age: 46.
Experience: British foreign secretary.
Key message: She used a Daily Telegraph article to launch her bid, promising to “lead, deliver and make the tough decisions”. She has pledged to “start cutting taxes from day one”, reversing April’s rise in National Insurance and promising to keep “corporation tax competitive”.
Campaign name: Liz for Leader.
Sajid Javid
Age: 52.
Experience: Former British chancellor. Was Britain's health secretary until he resigned on July 5th.
Key message: He would scrap the National Insurance rise – despite campaigning for the extra funding it provides while health secretary – and has pledged to cut corporation tax to 15 per cent from its current 19 per cent, a full 10 percentage points lower than the planned rate of 25 per cent from April 2023.
Campaign name: Team Saj.
Grant Shapps
Age: 53.
Experience: Currently in the British cabinet as transport secretary.
What’s his message: Another candidate promising tax cuts, he would take 1p off income tax and scrap the proposed increase in corporation tax. He has also highlighted his record as a campaigner and organiser to tell nervous Tory MPs “I can help you win your seat”.
Campaign name: Back Shapps.
Nadhim Zahawi
Age: 55.
Experience: Britain's current chancellor of the exchequer.
Key message: Has promised that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to taxes, highlighting concerns about the planned increase to 25 per cent and also hinting at bringing forward the cut 1p cut in income tax.
Campaign name: None.
Tom Tugendhat
Age: 49.
Experience: Never held ministerial office but chairs Britain's House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.
Key message: A former British Army Intelligence Corps officer, he has made a virtue of his lack of ministerial experience to promise a “clean start”. Has vowed to reverse the National Insurance rise and cut fuel tax.
Campaign name: Tom – A Clean Start.
Suella Braverman
Age: 42.
Experience: Britain's current attorney general.
Key message: She has promised “rapid and large tax cuts”. She would suspend net-zero targets to deal with the energy crisis and pull the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Campaign name: Suella 4 Leader.
Jeremy Hunt
Age: 55.
Experience: Former British foreign secretary, health secretary and culture secretary.
Key message: He has promised to slash corporation tax to 15 per cent and remove business rates for five years in the poorest communities. However, he would keep the National Insurance rise and any cut in income tax could only come if it was sustainable, with a growing economy.
Campaign name: Win Back Trust.
Kemi Badenoch
Age: 42.
Experience: Resigned as Britain's equalities minister and as a minister in the Levelling Up department on July 6th.
Key message: She wants lower taxes and “limited government” that focuses on the essentials. She appears to be targeting the anti-woke vote, complaining about “the shutting down of debate” and stressing the need to “reinvigorate the case for free speech”.
Campaign name: None.
Rehman Chishti
Age: 43.
Experience: Appointed as a junior foreign minister on July 8th and was Tory vice-chair in 2018.
Key message: He promised a UK government of “lower taxes, small state, big society”. Mr Chishti said his vision was “about aspirational conservatism, it’s about fresh ideas and then it comes down to having a fresh team”.
Campaign name: None.
