THE first Tory with an eye to replace Rishi Sunak as party leader will officially announce a run after polling day, reports say.
Steve Baker, a die-hard Brexiteer who serves as a minister for Northern Ireland, did not deny he would launch a bid to take over from Sunak following the all-but-guaranteed Tory defeat on July 4.
Baker hinted at a leadership run if he retains his Wycombe seat – where he was re-elected with a 4214 majority in 2019.
He said: “One thing at a time. I want to represent the people of Wycombe the best that I can, as I always have done.
“Then, let’s see what happens.”
PA reported it is “understood that he will announce his intentions after polling day”.
Sunak is widely expected to announce his resignation as Conservative leader after the General Election, in which some polls have suggested he may even lose his parliamentary seat.
Rumours circulated earlier in the campaign that he may even resign ahead of the election, following dismal polling and unforced errors such as leaving D-Day commemorations early in order to hold a TV interview.
Other than Baker, figures such as Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt have been spoken of as potential successors to Sunak – but the Tories will likely have to wait until after votes have been counted to see who remains in their slimmed down roster of MPs.
The Scottish Conservatives will also be holding a leadership contest in the wake of the Westminster vote after Douglas Ross was forced to resign in disgrace midway through his own election campaign.
Ross quit after facing negative briefings from within his own Scottish Tory group after he decided to U-turn on his previous pledges not to run for Westminster – and instead stand in place of David Duguid, who was ousted on his sickbed despite having been selected by local Conservative members.
