Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Race to replace Boris Johnson heats up: Who are the favourites to take over as UK Prime Minister?

The race to replace Britain’s Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and prime minister is underway, with 11 candidates already declared and more Tory MPs likely to join.

Race to replace Boris Johnson heats up: Who are the favourites to  take over as UK Prime Minister?

While several possible successors are seen as frontrunners, there is no clear favourite -- and such contests are notoriously volatile.

Rishi Sunak


The UK's first Hindu finance minister, Sunak quit on Tuesday and declared he was standing three days later.

Long seen as Johnson's most likely successor, his prospects were dented earlier this year by questions over his private wealth and family's tax arrangements.

But a recent poll of Conservative members who will eventually vote for their new leader put him on top.

Sunak, 42, has a high profile on social media -- launching his bid in a slick video posted to Twitter -- and won plaudits for shoring up the economy during the pandemic.

But his apparent reluctance to embrace the immediate tax cuts being promised by rivals could harm his prospects.

Jeremy Hunt 

Former foreign and health secretary Hunt, 55, lost to Johnson in 2019 but confirmed Saturday he will run again.

A supporter of remaining inside the European Union during the 2016 referendum, he has revealed Brexiteer Esther McVey will be his deputy if he wins.

A fluent Japanese speaker lacking Johnson's charisma, he has also vowed to cut corporation tax from 25 to 15 per cent.

Liz Truss

Foreign Secretary Truss confirmed her widely expected leadership bid on Sunday.

The 46-year-old is popular among Conservative members for her outspokenness.

But that has also stoked questions about her judgement, for instance when in February she encouraged Britons to fight in Ukraine.

Critics say her leadership posturing is too overt.

When she headed the Department for International Trade, some MPs dubbed it the "Department for Instagramming Truss" because of her prolific output on the social media site.

Sajid Javid

Javid, who also quit as health secretary Tuesday and had previously resigned as finance minister in 2020, announced his candidacy Saturday.

The 52-year-old son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver was previously a high-flying banker.

Like Sunak, he also faces questions about his personal wealth and tax affairs but tried to brush them off in media interviews Sunday, promising a raft of tax cuts.

Nadhim Zahawi

Newly appointed finance minister Zahawi was praised for overseeing Britain's pandemic vaccines rollout, before helming the education department.

The 55-year-old is a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child speaking no English. Before entering politics, he co-founded the prominent polling company YouGov.

But his private wealth has also drawn adverse attention, including when he claimed parliamentary expenses for heating his horse stables.

His fledgling campaign was endangered Sunday after newspapers reported he is being investigated by UK tax authorities, though he has denied wrongdoing.

Tom Tugendhat

The prominent backbencher who chairs parliament's influential Foreign Affairs Committee was the first to launch his bid.

A former army officer who served in the Middle East, he is also a hawk on China and has been critical of the government's handling of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The 49-year-old is pitching himself as a "clean start" after Johnson's turbulent three-year tenure.

Penny Mordaunt

Mordaunt, 49, the first woman to have been UK defence secretary and currently a trade minister, joined the contest in a video posted to social media Sunday.

A strong Brexit supporter and key figure in the 2016 "Leave" campaign, she has been tipped as a potential unity candidate who could draw support from the Conservative party's warring factions.

Suella Braverman 

Attorney general and arch-Brexiteer Braverman declared her campaign in mid-week media interviews.

The 42-year-old is popular within the party for her Euroscepticism.

She is one of 28 so-called "Spartan" Tory MPs, who refused to back ex-prime minister Theresa May's Brexit deal on all three occasions it was voted on in parliament.

Grant Shapps

Transport Secretary Shapps emerged onto the crowded field on Saturday, also promising tax cuts and competent government.

The 53-year-old is seen as an effective communicator and campaigner but is considered a long shot for the top job.

Kemi Badenoch

Former equalities minister Badenoch, who resigned Wednesday, has one of the lowest profiles of the current contenders and is another unlikely victor.

The 42-year-old has promised to tell "the truth", saying people are "exhausted by platitudes and empty rhetoric".

Rehman Chishti

An MP for Gillingham and Rainham in southeast England, the relatively unknown Chishti announced his candidacy on Sunday evening, speaking of "aspirational conservatism, fresh ideas, fresh team for a fresh start" on Twitter.
(AFP)

More For You

K Anis Ahmed

K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative

AMG

K Anis Ahmed’s 'Carnivore' serves up satire, class war and moral rot

From the blood-soaked backstreets of Dhaka to the polished kitchens of Manhattan’s elite, K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative. A satirical thriller steeped in class tension, culinary obsession and primal survival, Carnivore follows Kash, a Bangladeshi immigrant-turned-chef who launches a high-end restaurant serving exotic meats – only to become embroiled in a sinister world of appetite and ambition.

But this is no simple tale of knives and recipes. Ahmed – a seasoned journalist, publisher, and president of PEN Bangladesh – brings a sharp eye to the grotesqueries of power and privilege. In this exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, he speaks about his passion for food, the moral murkiness of his characters, and why even the most ordinary people can spiral into extraordinary darkness.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mahima Sharma cricket

In an industry long regarded as a boys’ club, Sharma brings a refreshingly unapologetic approach

wclegends.uk

Mahima Sharma brings bold new energy to cricket’s old guard

As the world prepares for the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), one of its most exciting franchises, the Meteora England Champions, is being led by a compelling force. Mahima Sharma is not just making her mark in cricket – she is quietly redefining leadership in a male-dominated industry.

In an industry long regarded as a boys’ club, Sharma brings a refreshingly unapologetic approach. She is strategic, deeply rooted in her love for the game, and proudly feminine. “Cricket has always felt like home to me,” she says. “I come from a culture where cricket is an emotion, and stepping into this role carries a great deal of responsibility. Growing up, I saw very few women leaders in cricket. To now find myself in this position 15 years later feels like coming full circle.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Turkey wildfires 2025

The Turkey wildfires have not been limited to Izmir

Getty Images

Turkey wildfires disrupt travel as Izmir airport closes

Key points

  • Tourists stranded after Foça wildfire halts flights at Izmir airport
  • At least 550 people evacuated from homes in the region
  • Over 600 personnel deployed to contain the blaze
  • Strong winds and heat raise risk of further fires

Wildfires force airport shutdown in Turkish holiday hotspot

Hundreds of UK tourists, including several from Glasgow, have been left stranded after major wildfires swept through a popular holiday destination in western Turkey, forcing the closure of Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport.

The blaze broke out in the resort town of Foça, near Izmir, and was rapidly intensified by strong winds, prompting large-scale evacuations and flight disruptions. All operations at the airport were suspended from 4 pm local time due to ongoing extinguishing efforts, with multiple flights reportedly diverted.

Keep ReadingShow less
Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

FILE PHOTO: A mother and daughter sit atop the Covid memorial wall on September 9, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

THE Covid inquiry has started examining how the pandemic affected care services for older and disabled people, with families describing the crisis as one of the worst failures of the pandemic.

Nearly 46,000 care home residents died with Covid in England and Wales between March 2020 and January 2022, with many deaths happening in the first weeks of the outbreak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson attends the "Jurassic World Rebirth" photocall

Getty Images

Scarlett Johansson calls out Hollywood’s history of hypersexualising young women

Quick highlights:

  • Scarlett Johansson says early roles focused on “desirability” and male-centred narratives
  • Notes positive shift in how women are portrayed in Hollywood today
  • Recalls being hypersexualised and typecast as a young actress
  • Currently stars in The Phoenician Scheme, with Jurassic World Rebirth out on 2 July

Scarlett Johansson has reflected on how Hollywood roles for women have evolved, admitting that early in her career, most of her characters were written to serve male-driven storylines. Speaking in an interview, the actress said the landscape has changed, with more nuanced opportunities for women on screen.

Keep ReadingShow less