Rishi Sunak has declared his intention to run for Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after Liz Truss resigned last Thursday following a disastrous performance.
This is his second attempt at the top spot. Despite the former prime minister Boris Johnson’s interest in the position, he is undoubtedly the favourite this time around.
Sunak said on Sunday morning that he is he is running to be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister after days of speculation, during which he amassed the support of well over 100 MPs.
In a tweet announcing his candidacy, Sunak writes “the United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis”.
Sunak said he can “fix our economy, unite our party and deliver for our country”, and that although “the challenges we face now are even greater” than those posed by the pandemic, “the opportunities – if we make the right choice – are phenomenal”.
He promised to deliver on the 2019 manifesto which won the Tories 43.6% of the vote, saying that under him there would be “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level of government”.
“The choice our party makes now will decide whether the next generation of British people will have more opportunities than the last,” he said.
Addressing fellow MPs, he writes: “I am asking you for the opportunity to help fix our problems. To lead our party and country forward towards the next general election, confident in our record, firm in our convictions and ready to lead again.”