The British Conservative Party intends to speed up the procedures to choose a successor to the resigned Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at a time when Finance Minister Nazem Zahawi and Transport Grant Shapps announced their intention to run to succeed him, amid expectations that about 10 others will run, while Defense Minister Ben Wallace withdrew from the party leadership race.
A member of the British Conservative Party committee overseeing the race to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the party would take action to reduce the number of contenders for the post to two by July 20.
The party's so-called "1922 Committee" will next week set the rules and timetable for the competition after Johnson, under party pressure, was forced to step down, and a large number of MPs lobbied for a quick succession to Johnson.
And the newspaper "Evening Standard" reported today, Saturday, that the newly appointed British Finance Minister Nazim Al-Zahawi will run in the elections to replace Johnson.
"My goal is simple: to provide opportunities for my generation and for all Britons, whatever their origins, to stabilize the economy," the newspaper quoted Al-Zahawi as saying.
Earlier in the day, Transport Minister Grant Shapps officially announced his candidacy for the post, becoming the fifth aspiring legislator for the leadership of the Conservative Party and the premiership to succeed Johnson, but it is expected that 12 others will apply for the position.
Also, former Equality Minister Kimi Badenock announced her name today in the list of candidates to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the head of the Conservative Party.
In an article in The Times, Badenock called for change and said the British public was "tired of vulgarity and empty rhetoric".
out of competition
For his part, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace - who is one of the leading candidates to succeed Johnson - said that he had decided not to compete in the leadership race for the Conservative Party.
Ben Wallace, 52, said - in a tweet on Twitter - "After careful consideration and discussion with my colleagues and family, I made the decision not to participate in the leadership competition for the Conservative Party. The great."
Conservative MPs will hold a series of ballots to reduce the number of candidates to two that party members will eventually vote on to choose Johnson's successor. Next first.
It is noteworthy that about 60 lawmakers and aides resigned this week to force Boris Johnson out of office, but Johnson said when he announced his resignation from the party leadership that he would remain in office until a successor was chosen, a process that could take months.