Boris Johnson, Sunak hold talks amid UK leadership race: Are they trying to strike a deal?

As the candidacy deadline for the contest to succeed Liz Truss as prime minister is closer, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak on Saturday evening held talks. According to the Mail on Sunday, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was attempting to convince his former chancellor Sunak that he should return to No. 10 and that Sunak would get a key position if he is successful. 

However, as The Sunday Times reported, on Saturday night, eminent Tory donors urged Johnson, whose three years in office were plagued by controversy, not to stand against Sunak in the contest. Among the donors, a former party treasurer, Mick Davis told the newspaper that it was "delusional" to think Johnson could create a stable administration. 

Eminent figures supporting Rishi Sunak for the next UK PM

Besides this, on Saturday evening, Kemi Badenoch, a popular figure on the party's right, backed Sunak, giving Johnson another blow. Badenoch stated in a piece for The Sunday Times that her party needed to remind people that "Conservatives care about the country, not ourselves", Independent reported. Instead of only focusing on winning elections, she stated, "Everything we do must be for the greater good and must be seen to be for the greater good." 

Furthermore, the International Trade Secretary emphasised that "right now, being able to say no is what we need" and stated that Sunak might bring a "disciplined approach" to the British government, noting his "fiscal conservativism”. 

Notably, Dominic Raab, the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, has earlier backed Rishi Sunak for the Prime Minister's position. Taking to Twitter, he said, “I back @RishiSunak to be our next PM.” 

Meanwhile, according to the BBC report, with the backing of 128 MPs from all groups of his party, including previous Johnson allies, Rishi Sunak is moving ahead in the contest. The BBC's count puts Johnson in the second position with 53 supporters. However, according to his campaign, he has the backing of 100 MPs, which is the minimum number needed to formally enter the contest. Following the claim, supporters of Sunak questioned this and demanded proof from the former PM. 

Further, the sole contender to officially announce her candidacy is Penny Mordaunt, however, with only 23 MPs, she falls short in terms of support.  

It is pertinent to mention that Liz Truss, the British prime minister, announced her resignation on Thursday, October 20. In a statement to the media, Truss stated that she would hold the position of prime minister until a replacement was chosen, which may take place in a week. 

(Image: AP/ PTI)