Boris Johnson is known for his excellent manoeuvring political skill. His rusticity has added to his charisma and this has been primarily the reason that Britons entrusted him with the task to lead their country. Obviously, the person who has put a lot of effort to build his image over the years would not like to be smeared by his incompetence to handle the present economic crisis that grips Britain. Apparently, his announcement that he would not be contesting the Conservative Party leadership race did not come as a surprise. His determination not to allow Rishi Sunak to walk into the Prime Minister’s house is an open secret. He had earlier used his might to ensure the victory of Liz Truss. If the sources are to be believed Truss had resigned after getting the consent from Johnson. It was only his resolve to foil the move of Sunak to occupy the office of the Prime Minister that as a manifestation of sheer desperation, Boris only four days back had come back from a Caribbean holiday to make a fresh bid for the job.
But after landing in London Boris had come to realise the proclivity of the crisis. It was after the evaluation of the nature of the catastrophe that at the advice of his close aides he decided against putting his head on the altar. His lack of economic acumen and inability to salvage the situation reigned in his decision. Instead of throwing his hat in the ring, he preferred Sunak as the sacrificial goat. It is beyond comprehension, indeed shocking, that a politician claiming to have the support of more than 100 MPs would push away the office of Prime Minister. But Boris did it. The primary reason has been he did not intend to lose his image and charisma by again failing to deal with the mounting economic woes of Britain.
It is interesting to watch the predictions of bookmakers. Though everyone was sure that Boris would allow Sunak to enter the PM office, Sunak has been the bookmakers’ favorite. The mood in favour of Sunak was set by the corporate sector. The business and corporate sectors were feeling fidgety at the inability of the conservative leadership. They were in a piquant situation. Some of them favoured the Labour leadership, they were not sure that a new government under Labour would be able to face the economic challenges. Sunak, who won the Tory leadership contest on Monday, is poised to walk into 10 Downing Street after an audience with King Charles III on Tuesday. Sunak himself admitted: “The UK is a great country, but there is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge. We now need stability and unity and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together; because that is the only way we will overcome the challenges we face and build a better, more prosperous future for our children and our grandchildren.” Though Sunak had faced racism during his race to the top, one thing is clear – his rise to the top post underlines much has changed in Britain.
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