Indian-origin former chancellor of exchequer Rishi Sunak on Sunday declared his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister of the UK. He said Britain is a great country but it faces a profound economic crisis. “That’s why I am standing to be Leader of the Conservative Party and your next Prime Minister. I want to fix our economy, unite our Party and deliver for our country,” he said.
Sunak has served as the finance minister under former PM Boris Johnson. He was the first choice of a majority of Conservative Party MPs after Johnson resigned in July. However, Liz Truss defeated him in the final elections. She resigned on October 20, saying she can’t deliver the mandate.
Today, Sunak said the choice the ruling party makes will decide whether the next generation of British people will have more opportunities than the last. “That’s why I am standing to your next Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party,” he said.
The Richmond (Yorks) MP further said that he served as chancellor, helping to steer the economy through the toughest of times, and the challenges the country faces today were even greater. “But the opportunities – if we make the right choices – are phenomenal,” he added.
Sunak headed the finance ministry at a time when the world was facing the specter of Covid. He served as chancellor of the exchequer from February 2020 to July 2022.
In the statement, he said he has a track record of delivery, a clear plan to fix the biggest problems, and will deliver on the promise of the 2019 manifesto.
The next prime minister is to be elected by October 28. This time, Sunak is expected to face his former boss Boris Johnson, who has already announced his bid for 10 Downing Street – the official residence of the Prime Minister.
