FORMER HEALTH SECRETARY SAJID JAVID BACKS LIZ TRUSS TO BE PRIME MINISTER

Thu 04 August 2022:

Sajid Javid, a former Conservative health minister, pledged his support for Liz Truss on Wednesday, joining a growing list of prominent Tories who are behind her leadership campaign.

Early in July, Javid and Rishi Sunak, both former Chancellors of the Exchequer in Boris Johnson’s cabinet, both announced their resignations, setting off a wave of resignations.

Javid said in an article published in The Times on Wednesday “After careful consideration, it is clear to me that Liz Truss is best placed to pass these tests.”

Praising Truss’ “sharp focus and willingness to challenge the status quo”, Javid said that the new prime minister would need to swiftly reunite the party.

Slamming Sunak for not cutting taxes, Javid challenged his approach to the economy and said we need to show “we are rising to the challenges of our times”.

Other than Javid, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, international trade minister Penny Mordaunt, Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat, and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis have backed Truss.

Citing a series of scandals and missteps over the last 12 months, the ruling Conservative Party is choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to announce his resignation when ministers resigned en masse from his government.

With a winner to be announced on September 5, the party’s members will vote by postal ballot or online over the next few weeks.

Truss has extended her lead in the race to be Britain’s next leader, with 58 per cent of participants showing support for Truss in a survey of 1,003 party members.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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