Boris Johnson has announced will not stand for the Tory leadership.
He is saying that despite having the support of the MPs
required to run, he had come to the conclusion "this would simply not be
the right thing to do" as "you can't govern effectively unless you
have a united party in Parliament".
He says he had the backing of 102 MPs, however the BBC is
unable to verify this figure as only 57 MPs had publicly declared their
support.
“In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number
of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party
leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in
Parliament. I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive
election victory less than three years ago - and I believe I am therefore
uniquely placed to avert a general election now.
A general election would be a further disastrous
distraction just when the Government must focus on the economic pressures faced
by families across the country. I believe I am well placed to deliver a
Conservative victory in 2024 - and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared
the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder,
and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.
There is a very good chance that I would be successful in
the election with Conservative Party members - and that I could indeed be back
in Downing Street on Friday. But in the course of the last days I have sadly
come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You
can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.
And though I have reached out to both Rishi (Sunak) and
Penny (Mordaunt) - 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.
Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go
forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds. "I believe I have much
to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time." BBC
0 comments:
Post a Comment