Johnson pulls out of PM race, Sunak closer to win

October 24, 2022 08:18

In a surprise move, former British PM Boris Johnson on Sunday announced that he will not be contesting the Conservative Party leadership race, with frontrunner Rishi Sunak moving a step closer to be elected Britain's first Indian-origin prime minister.

The 55-year-old former leader claimed he had crossed the 100-MPs threshold but decided not to go forward in the interest of Tory party's unity.

In a statement, Johnson who resigned in July in the wake of the partygate' scandal of COVID-19 lockdown law-breaking parties said he had "cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations", but came to the conclusion that "this is simply not the right time".

"I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds, Johnson said. I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.. And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this," he added. -- PTI

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