Penny Mordaunt has become the first candidate to throw her hat into the ring in the race to succeed Liz Truss as prime minister, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided Tory Party.
The Leader of the House – who finished third in the last leadership election – said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs.
“I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest,” she said in a statement posted on social media.
“I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister – to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE (general election).”
The announcement came after she held talks with Jeremy Hunt, in which she assured him he could stay on as Chancellor if she won.
Sources close to Mordaunt said she had made clear that she would proceed with his budget plan to get the public finances back on track, due to be announced on October 31.
Earlier Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ruled himself out as a candidate, indicating that he was ready to back Boris Johnson if he enters the race.
Supporters of the former prime minister have been urging him to mount an extraordinary political comeback less than four months after he was forced out of Downing Street by his own MPs.
There has been no word from Mr Johnson – who was holidaying in the Caribbean when Truss announced her resignation on Thursday – about his intentions.
But Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke have become the latest high-profile Tory figures to declare their support if he enters the race.
Wallace – a long-time ally – said he is “leaning towards” backing Mr Johnson, praising him for his record on investing in defence and pointing to the “huge majority” he won in 2019.
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