Rishi launches Tory leadership bid with swipe at Boris and pledge to rebuild economy

8 July 2022, 16:20 | Updated: 8 July 2022, 20:17

Rishi Sunak has announced his intention to stand in the Tory leadership contest, promising to 'restore trust and rebuild the economy'.

The former Chancellor who resigned from Boris Johnson's government on Tuesday, tweeted: "I’m standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister.

"Let’s restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country."

In his campaign launch he appeared to take aim at departing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying: "Someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions."

Whilst the announcement was made today, the "readyforrishi" website - which redirects to his campaign page "ready4rishi" - was registered in December, according to the who.is website which stores data about domains.

It means the original site was registered at the heigh of the Partygate scandal.

Data from the logo also shows the colour profile was created on June 26 2022.

Both suggest the former chancellor may have been planning his leadership bid for some time.

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Sunak may have been preparing challenge since 2021

Mr Sunak has already got the support of MPs including Mark Spencer, Oliver Dowden, Liam Fox and Mark Harper.

Mark Spencer, the former chief whip, said he had "experience at the highest levels of Government" that gave him the 'skills and drive' to be PM.

Oliver Dowden, who resigned as Tory chairman over the by-election losses in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield, said Mr Sunak was the "best person to beat Labour".

Liam Fox said he had "the experience, integrity and vision" to be leader, whilst Mark Harper said the former Chancellor "represents a return to traditional Conservative values".

Launching his campaign to replace Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak said the country faces "huge challenges".

In a video pitching himself as the next leader, he says: "Family is everything to me.

"My family gave me opportunities they could only dream of. But it was Britain, our country, that gave them and millions like them the chance of a better future.

"I got into politics because I want everyone in this country to have those same opportunities, to be able to give their children a better future.

"Our country faces huge challenges, the most serious for a generation. And the decisions we make today will decide whether the next generation of British people will also have the chance of a better future."

Mr Sunak also said: "Someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions.

"That's why I'm standing to be the next leader of the Conservative party and your Prime Minister.

"I want to lead this country in the right direction.

"I ran the toughest department in government during the toughest times when we faced the nightmare of Covid.

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"My values are non-negotiable - patriotism, fairness, hard work.

"We've had enough of division.

"Politics at its best is a unifying endeavour and I have spent my career bring people together because that is the only way to succeed."

He said he will set out his vision "in the coming days and weeks".

Mr Sunak's calm and measured delivery during televised Covid briefings, and his viral declaration of love for a popular soft drink, will have endeared him some.

His resignation on matters of principle on Tuesday may also have pleased voters.

But he has been the centre of several scandals in recent months.

It was recently revealed his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes.

He was also criticised by some who claimed he was too slow to react to the cost of living crisis, and he - like Mr Johnson - was fined by the Met police over the Partygate saga.

Johnson loyalist Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Sunak was a "high tax Chancellor" who was "not alert" to the problem of inflation - one of the drivers of the soaring cost of living.

"Rishi Sunak was not a successful Chancellor," said Mr Rees-Mogg.

"He was a high tax Chancellor, and he was a Chancellor who was not alert to the inflationary problem."

Caller says Tories must uncouple from Brexit

Mr Sunak is not the only Conservative MP to have announced their intention to stand for leader.

Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, declared he would enter in January and then repeated his position in the Telegraph on Friday.

He said he was putting together a "broad coalition" offering a "clean start".

Attorney general Suella Braverman has also said she would run, announcing her plans on ITV on Wednesday - before Mr Johnson stepped down.

Others thought to be considering running in the contest - which Nadine Dorries said would be a "bloodbath" - are Steve Baker, Sir Robert Buckland, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt, Liz Truss, Ben Wallace and Nadhim Zahawi.