Britain's Next Prime Minister to be Chosen through Conservative Leadership Election

Strategic Insights -

The two candidates vying to become Britain's next prime minister, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, have sought to win over the Conservative Party's right-wing base by backing a controversial plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Both candidates have doubled down on policies appealing to the Tory grassroots, including the contentious deal with Rwanda, which has been challenged in the British courts. The winner will become the automatic prime minister, governing a country of 67 million, chosen by about 180,000 Conservative Party members.

Key Takeaways:

  • Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, the two finalists to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, have backed the controversial Rwanda deal to deport some asylum-seekers to the East African nation.
  • The policy is being challenged in the British courts and has been deemed immoral, illegal, and a waste of taxpayers' money by opponents and human rights organizations.
  • Truss has expressed determination to see the Rwanda plan through, while Sunak has suggested housing asylum-seekers on cruise ships.
  • The leadership election is taking place during a cost-of-living crisis, partly due to the war in Ukraine and the UK's departure from the European Union.
  • Truss is the strong favorite to win the leadership, outperforming Sunak in polls of Conservative members, but Sunak has the edge among voters as a whole.
  • Sunak faces hostility from allies of Johnson, who consider him a turncoat for quitting the government earlier this month.
  • The leadership contest has been described as "toxic" by former party chairwoman Amanda Milling, who has urged both candidates to sign up to a "Clean Campaign Charter."

Statistics:

  • 180,000: The number of Conservative Party members who will choose Britain's next prime minister through a leadership election.
  • 67 million: The population of England, which will be governed by the next prime minister.
  • 25%: The percentage of the UK's food prices that have risen in the past year, contributing to a cost-of-living crisis.
  • 30: The number of Confucius Institutes in Britain, funded by the Chinese government and accused of spreading pro-Beijing propaganda.
  • Sept. 5: The date when the result of the Conservative leadership election will be announced.

Sources:

  • AP News
  • https://apnews.com/hub/boris-johnson (AP's coverage of British politics)
  • Writing on Twitter by Amanda Milling, former party chairwoman.