Not long ago former chancellor Rishi Sunak was seen as the frontrunner to replace Boris Johnson, but his popularity has waned and now the field of potential successors is far more open. So who could throw their hat in the ring?
An exclusive poll for Sky News in January found that almost half of Tory members thought Rishi Sunak would make a better leader and could win more seats at the next election than Mr Johnson.
Following an uproar that a minister's wife was not paying UK taxes on that income, she confirmed she would do so as it had"become clear that many do not feel it is compatible with my husband's role as chancellor". Mr Sunak was elected in 2015, succeeding former Tory leader Lord Hague in the seat of Richmond in North Yorkshire.
She has been an MP since 2010 and began rising up the ministerial ladder soon after entering parliament. The current chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee was Boris Johnson's rival in the head-to-head run-off in the last Conservative leadership election in 2019. He previously stood for the leadership on a joint ticket with former cabinet minister Stephen Crabb in 2016, and as a candidate in his own right in the 2019 race, but failed to secure enough support to make the final run-off.
For some time Priti Patel was seen as the darling of the Conservative grassroots, with a proud right-wing stance on immigration and public spending. However, a report published in November 2020 by the prime minister's then adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Alex Allan, had found the home secretary hadMr Johnson overruled, saying the code hadn't been broken and she could keep her job.
His role in overseeing the evacuation of refugees and British nationals from Afghanistan was also applauded and he continues to be a key voice in the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But if concern over changing leader during a time of war is playing on the minds of Tory MPs, could Mr Wallace be persuaded to step up as the candidate best placed to ease those nerves?
The wafer-thin majority he holds in his Esher and Walton constituency would also likely give any potential backers pause for thought. But his decision to pull the rug from under Boris Johnson's leadership bid in 2016, having initially been his campaign chairman, has lived long in the memory of Conservative MPs.Leadership contests often see bids from politicians who are not necessarily seen as favourites from the outset, but who can sometimes gain traction as the race builds momentum.
He added that anyone who would be able to garner support from a group of colleagues should"go for it" and it was"up to all of us to put ourselves forward". In a deeply personal speech in October last year, Mr Zahawi spoke of his own experiences arriving in Britain as a child refugee and said the UK"took in a young Kurdish boy without a word of English and made him a Cabinet minister"
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak dramatically quit in huge blow to Boris JohnsonThe resignations came as Mr Johnson was forced into a humiliating apology over his handling of the Chris Pincher row
Read more »
Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak QUIT in double blow to Boris Johnson - live updatesBREAKING: Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak QUIT in double blow to Boris Johnson - live updates
Read more »
Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resign calling for 'truth' and 'integrity' from Boris JohnsonRishi Sunak has quit as chancellor and Sajid Javid has resigned as health secretary as Boris Johnson’s leadership faced a fresh crisis.
Read more »
Boris Johnson makes Zahawi chancellor after Rishi Sunak quits - BBC NewsMichelle Donelan becomes education secretary and Steve Barclay replaces Sajid Javid as health secretary as PM fights on.
Read more »
Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resign from UK Government in Boris Johnson protestChancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid have both resigned from their roles, throwing Boris Johnson's political future into question
Read more »