Boris Johnson ends bid to return as UK’s next prime minister

Former prime minister pulls out of the race to lead the UK, making Rishi Sunak the strong favorite for the top job.

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dropped a bid to lead the Conservative Party, ending a short-lived, high-profile attempt to return to a job he was removed from little more than three months ago.

His withdrawal on Sunday leaves former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak the strong favorite to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister — the third this year — at a time of political turmoil and severe economic challenges.

Johnson had raced home from a holiday in the Caribbean to try and secure the backing of 100 legislators to enter the contest to replace Liz Truss, the woman who succeeded him in September after he was forced to quit over a string of scandals.

He said late on Sunday that he had secured the backing of 102 legislators and could have been “back in Downing Street”, but that he had failed to persuade either Sunak or the other contender Penny Mordaunt, to come together “in the national interest”.

“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time,” Johnson said.

The former prime minister had secured the public backing of just less than 60 Conservative legislators by Sunday, well under half of the nearly 150 endorsements, Sunak had received.

Johnson’s statement likely paves the way for his archrival, the 42-year-old Sunak, to become prime minister, possibly as soon as Monday.

If confirmed, he would replace Truss, who was forced to resign after she launched an economic program that triggered turmoil in financial markets. According to the rules, if only one candidate secures the backing of 100 Conservative legislators, they will be named prime minister on Monday.

Agencies