Explained: The 11 politicians in the fray to replace UK’s Boris Johnson and their views on India

The race to replace Boris Johnson as United Kingdom’s prime minister and the leader of the ruling Conservative Party is hotting up. Some 11 Tory leaders have thrown their hats in the ring.

Indian-origin Rishi Sunak was among the first few leaders to launch their bid to succeed Johnson. The prime mister was forced to quit after dozens of ministers and officials stepped down last week over his handling of a series of scandals, one involving the  sexual misconduct  of a party leader and the other over the breach of lockdown rules, now infamously called ‘partygate’ .

Also read: The Indian connection: How Rishi Sunak is a top contender for the post of British prime minister

Johnson will be the caretaker PM until the party has chosen a new leader. We take a look at those in the fray and what are their chances.

Rishi Sunak, former finance minister

Sunak, the former finance minister announced his bid on Friday, a day after Johnson quit.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “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.”

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

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 8, 2022

It was Sunak’s decision to quit the government that led to a flurry of resignations at Downing Street, which eventually pushed Johnson to give in.

Sunak was the first Indian-origin politician to hold the high UK Cabinet office of Chancellor of the Exchequer. If he wins, he will also become the first desi to become Britain’s prime minister.

He is married to Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy.

On India: In October 2020, Sunak, who was then the finance minister held talks with his Indian counterpart in Nirmala Sitharaman, committing to deepen the economic relationship and provide a boost to jobs and investment. He had promised to create and secure more jobs.

Liz Truss, foreign secretary

UK foreign minister Liz Truss on Sunday joined the race for the PM’s post.

The 46-year-old leader, who is seen as a frontrunner in the context, announced her candidacy in the Daily Telegraph newspaper on Sunday evening, saying she had “a clear vision of where we need to be, and the experience and resolve to get us there”.

She is only the second woman to lead Britain’s foreign office.

On India: Truss visited India in March 2022 and held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. She emphasised on deeper ties between the two nations to boost security in the Indo-Pacific and globally, and create jobs and opportunities in both countries.

She did not mince her words while talking about Russia. “Strengthening relationship with India is more important than it has ever been precisely because we are living in a more insecure world, precisely because we have (Vladimir) Putin’s appalling invasion of Ukraine,” she said.

EAM Dr S Jaishankar & British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announce a joint India-UK Commonwealth Diplomatic Academy programme

"The Academy programme will equip young diplomats from all Commonwealth Member States with expertise and training on global challenges," stated UK govt pic.twitter.com/OuEgUDuTxx

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2022

In June, the two nations announced a joint India-UK Commonwealth Diplomatic Academy Programme to equip “young diplomats from all Commonwealth Member States with expertise and training on global challenges”.

Penny Mordaunt, trade minister

Penny Mordaunt announced her bid shortly after Truss. A former navy reservist, who has also held several senior ministerial roles, she is not among the favourites to succeed Johnson.

An inspiring personal history, tigress at the despatch box, plus she can captain a warship in her spare time.
Why I’m backing PM for PM:
https://t.co/VEWAZWiVY0

— Allison Pearson (@AllisonPearson) July 10, 2022

She currently is the trade minister. Having strong pro-Brexit credentials, she is charismatic and is known for her good leadership skills and has held several key positions in the government.

On India: As defence minister, she was all for partnership with India and said it was key to global security. When she was appointed the international development minister in 2017, Mordaunt listed the nation among her countries of interest, having worked with the charity “Diabetes UK” in India.

Grant Shapps, transport secretary

A Johnson loyalist, he has served as secretary for state transport since 2019. Earlier he held junior ministerial roles and was co-chair of the Conservative Party.

Announcing his campaign on Twitter, he wrote, “I plan. I communicate. I campaign. I deliver. And I can win an election for our party in tough times.” Like other contenders, he too has promised to cut taxes for the most vulnerable to address the cost-of-living crisis.

The 53-year-old backed for Britain to remain in the European Union ahead of the Brexit vote.

On India: In October 2021, the UK angered India by not recognising fully vaccinated Indian travellers as part of the new rules announced while lifting pandemic-related restrictions despite India-made Covishield being among the globally eligible vaccine formulations. Shapps was leading the team that took this decision. However, after India retaliated, the UK relaxed the rules.

Nadhim Zahawi, finance minister

Appointed finance minister after Sunak stepped down last week, Nadhim Zahawi’s public plea asking Johnson to go was the last nail in the coffin.

Now Iraq-born Zahawi is in the race to replace the man who promoted him. The co-founder of the polling company YouGov. he has promised to lower taxes for individuals, families and businesses.

On India: He has spoken out against the alleged persecution of minorities in India. “India is a wonderful country, steeped in history, however, we must all work together to end religious persecution wherever it is found,” he said in August 2021. Sajid Javid, former health secretary

Sajid Javid announced his resignation 10 minutes after Sunak last week. The Pakistan-origin leader was in the running for the prime minister’s post in 2019 and even made it to the final four. However, he dropped out to back Johnson. Three years on, he is back in the race.

“The next Prime Minister needs integrity, experience, and a tax-cutting plan for economic growth. That’s why I’m standing,” he wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

On India: Javid is a big supporter of India. He has long been in favour of jettisoning “outdated perceptions” in the relationship between London and New Delhi.

Great to meet my Indian counterpart @nsitharaman. Discussed our close economic relationship (and also the commemorative coin of Gandhi I announced last week!) #IMFmeetings pic.twitter.com/O9LxzeBNdP

— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) October 17, 2019

When he was the home secretary, Javid was responsible for the issue of immigration and the demand to improve the UK visa for Indians.

In 2015, as business secretary, Javid wrote the foreword for a British Council report titled “India Matters”. He said that fast-growing India was poised to “become one of the world’s most influential nations and, potentially, one of the UK’s most important partners”. Jeremy Hunt, former foreign secretary

Jeremy Hunt finished second to Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest to replace Theresa May and has said he would offer a more serious and less controversial style of leadership after the turmoil of Johnson’s premiership, reports Al Jazeera. He has sought to differentiate himself as the only major candidate to date who did not serve in Johnson’s government.

🗣 “What we need to do is to turn ourselves from a high-tax, low-growth economy, into a low-tax, high-growth economy."

Launching his Tory leadership bid, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt says not serving under the PM gives him an edge over others 👇https://t.co/fFiLrjfuxI

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 10, 2022

While talking to Indian-origin members of the Conservative Party he had said, “I want you to know that friendship between India and the United Kingdom will be one of my highest priorities as prime minister”, calling the country a beacon of tolerance and diversity. Tom Tugendhat, chair of UK parliament’s foreign affairs committee A former soldier, Tugendhat is the chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee. “Trust in our politics and our party is collapsing. We need a clean start,” he said while announcing his campaign on Twitter.

A regular critic of Johnson, he voted for “remain” in the EU.

On India: The politician is all for strengthening ties between India and the UK. He has spoken about the vaccine alliance and partnership of democracy that the two nations share in the past.

After the Galwan Valley clash in May 2020, he said that the foreign office in London should have issued a strong condemnation of China. His committee has in 2019 published a report, Building Bridges: Reawakening UK-India Ties, which argued that “the UK is falling behind in the global race to engage with a rising India” and “as the UK prepares to leave the EU, it is time to reset this relationship”.

Rehman Chisti, MP

Rehman Chishti, who has worked as a trade envoy for the UK, announced his plan to run for leadership in a tweet on Sunday. “It’s about aspirational conservatism, fresh ideas, fresh team for a fresh start taking our great country forward,” he wrote.

I’m standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister. For me it’s about aspirational conservatism, fresh ideas, fresh team for a fresh start taking our great country forward. (Full video on my Facebook page). pic.twitter.com/0BBOkqmKgV

— Rehman Chishti (@Rehman_Chishti) July 10, 2022

On India: In February 2019, the Pakistan-born MP chaired an International Conference on Kashmir in Londo to express solidarity with the people of the state. Indian media was barred from this event which was addressed by then Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The Ministry of External Affairs had taken up the issue with the UK. Suella Braverman, attorney general As attorney general, Braverman, 42, was slammed by lawyers after the government sought to break international law over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland. Now she is in the race to replace Johnson.

Tory leadership hopeful Suella Braverman sets out her pitch for the top job in a piece for the Daily Express … the Attorney General vows to cut taxes, suspend net zero targets and finish Brexit https://t.co/UWeT1q1Vnz

— Sam Lister (@sam_lister_) July 8, 2022

A daughter of Indian immigrants, she became the first member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet to declare a leadership bid. However, the 42-year-old arch-Brexiteer is a long-shot candidate, popular within the party for her Euroscepticism.

She is born to Indian-origin parents, Christie and Uma Fernandes. Her father is of Goan ancestry.

On India: Her views on India are not known.

Kemi Badenoch, MP

Elected to Parliament for the first time, she has held junior ministerial roles and never served in the Cabinet.

“Without change the Conservative Party, Britain, and the western world will continue to drift,” she wrote in The Times.

You’ve probably heard that I’m running for the party leadership. It’s important you understand why. My article in The Times today 👇 https://t.co/3CbACk0pkq pic.twitter.com/gBDyD6tb4e

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 9, 2022

Badenoch, 42, supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum.

With inputs from agencies

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