Who could replace Boris Johnson as UK prime minister?
After a revolt and flood of ministerial resignations, Boris Johnson finally announced he would be stepping down as UK prime minister.
Speaking in Downing Street, he expressed regret at being forced out and revealed he would hang around until his successor was chosen.
So, who could be in the running to replace him?
It was Sunak’s resignation on Tuesday evening, alongside that of Sajid Javid, which kicked off the mass resignation of government ministers over the last few days.
Sunak, who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer – the UK’s finance minister – has long been considered a leading figure in the Conservative Party, and a likely next prime minister.
However, his standing took a knock earlier this year when it was revealed that his Indian wife had nom-domiciled tax status, meaning she didn’t pay UK tax on most of her income. Newspapers also reported that Sunak held a US green card while serving as Chancellor, which left some questioning his commitment to the country.
Having also been fined for attending a lockdown party in Downing Street, Sunak could also struggle to separate himself from some of the scandals of the Johnson era.
Even so, the 42-year-old remains one of the most prominent candidates to replace Johnson, though he will likely be challenged on his handling of the economy over the last few years and his plans for taxes and shrinking the state.
The son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, who became an investment banker and then politician, Javid has run for party leadership twice before: in 2016 and again in 2019. However, he may feel like now is his chance.
Javid previously resigned in early 2020, after clashing with Johnson over his team of advisers, but was brought back into the government to handle the
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