Sajid Javid and others pull out of the leadership race

Image by Parliament UK/The Spectator
Having failed to garner enough support, former Health Secretary Sajid Javid pulled out of the race to become the next Prime Minister of the UK minutes before the Commons committee room announcement.
This comes after ex-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps decided to step away as he did not get the nominations which would enable him to continue with his bid to replace Boris Johnson. He also announced that he was going to support former chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Rehman Chishti, who according to WalesOnline is ‘seen as the rank outsider’ and a ‘backbencher’, also decided not to take part after failing to get much support.
Javid said, “Serving in Government is a true privilege. It has been just seven days since I took the difficult decision to resign from the most important job I have ever had, as health secretary during a pandemic.
Since then, I have set out the values and policies I think are right for the future of our great country. I believe the party must now look outwards, not inwards, if we are to win again.
There is an abundance of both ideas and talent in our party. One of the candidates will be given the honour of becoming Prime Minister.
I look forward to seeing the debate unfold and to see colleagues working together as a united Conservative Party once the leadership election is concluded.”
Now, eight contenders remain on the ballot paper as Tory MPs began voting for the next leader on Wednesday, according to Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee.
The eight front-runners who managed to secure 20 nominations from fellow MPs include Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt, Nadhim Zahawi and Suella Braverman.
Although, the Sun’s Kate Ferguson reports that Hunt ‘accepts he will not go any further in the contest’, according to The Guardian.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss received the support of some well-known aides of Boris Johnson – Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries and James Cleverly. Her bid is seen as an anti-Sunak campaign in order to prevent him from entering No 10.
Many supporters of Johnson are unhappy with the way Sunak resigned, triggering many more to follow suit and resign from their respective posts.
The voting process has now begun, with the upcoming weeks dedicated to selecting the leader of the country and those securing the lowest votes being successively out of the race.
It is being reported that after the first round of voting on Wednesday, six candidates remain with Nadhim Zahawi and Jeremy Hunt eliminated.