In for a Penny...

[No Shot Sherlock]

As Penny Mordaunt is currently the only candidate to have officially declared, this may be premature, but I can't help thinking she's the only (likely) candidate that could potentially command some respect from across Tory MPs and party members.

It seems clear that Sunak supporters cannot stomach the idea of Johnson returning, and vice versa.

The question is who can muster 100 nominations, and whether more than one candidate can do so?

Seems to me that Sunak can only win if he's the only candidate to get 100+ nominations as the blue-rinse brigade simply won't vote for him (because he suspended the triple-lock on pensions).

If Johnson stands and can get 100 nominations then those same party members may well bring him (and the chaos that would follow) back to Downing Street, even if (and it's a BIG if), Penny managed to get to the final two.

So imho, for Penny to win she not only needs 100 nominations but she needs Johnson to fail to do so, or not to run at all - and I can't see his ego allowing that to happen!

[New Forester]

Sunak will be our next PM. Why a clear majority of Conservative members didn't realise that Truss was a potential disaster was beyond me. Sunak has an outstanding intellect, he is a superb communicator and he comes across as a decent human being. I'm also at a loss to think that some people want Boris back. The very fact that Boris is even thinking about it shows that he cares little about the future of the party that has made him. Despite recent events I wouldn't put money on a Labour landslide in two years time.


About the triple lock. Did I miss something?

"Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed the government will reinstate the state pension triple lock next year.
In Sunak’s statement this afternoon (May 26), in which he unveiled measures to tackle the cost of living crisis, he reassured people that next year benefits will be uprated using the consumer price index, stating that the triple lock will once again apply for the state pension".

[No Shot Sherlock]

I don't doubt his intellect, and he may well have said he intended to reinstate the triple-lock, but that was then and this is now, and Tory pensioners hate the fact that he suspended it, and don't trust him not to do so again. They also hold him responsible for Boris' demise.

[Weybridge]

Its abhorrent that Boris could even be considered. How can you remove a PM in a no-confidence vote after myriad scandals and a disciplinary committee over his head - and then put him back two months later? Are our attention spans that short now?

I agree Sunak will likely become PM though (and I suspect with a comfortable margin) - I just hope he doesn't drag Johnson along with him.

[StMonkton]

I think Sunak failed first time round mainly because he was held responsible for Boris’s demise rather than the triple lock suspension. That’s even though the person 95 % responsible for his demise was the blond blow hard himself.

He still has massive popularity with the sort of folk that thought Truss would be good and I think many still see him as a master vote winner. Sadly in my view, they may be right. If so, party will trump country and they’ll have him back.

Pass the sick bucket please.

[just blue]

Its abhorrent that Boris could even be considered. How can you remove a PM in a no-confidence vote after myriad scandals and a disciplinary committee over his head - and then put him back two months later? Are our attention spans that short now?

He's on holiday! Parliament is sitting, he's still paid to be an MP and he's on holiday considering whether it's worth his while to return and stand as the next Tory leader or just keep calm carry on sunbathing!

[Hamburg Skate]

Out of this motley crew. my vote would go for Penny.
johnson is a habitual liar and sunak has got so much money, how can he relate to the average
man on the street, he could not even pay for his petrol using contactless in the petrol station.
This countries been on a downhill slide ever since Gordon Brown sold our Goldand that has to be
at least 20 Years now.
I am going to have towork a few more years now before i can retire.
Personally i think 90% of politicians are out for themselves.
Once Putin drops a nuke we will have somethingelse to worry about.

[Mr Dee]

I came to the conclusion some time ago that it makes no difference who the prime minister is.