Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson camps have claimed that they enjoy the support of 100 MPs, the number required to contest the leadership election to replace Liz Truss as UK prime minister and leader of the Conservative party.

Supporters of Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson claimed that their leader enjoys the backing of 100 MPs needed to make it to the shortlist for the race to replace Liz Truss as the Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister.

But neither Sunak nor Johnson has officially declared their intention to contest the leadership election, with Penny Mordaunt the only candidate to formally announce her candidacy so far.

A section of the Conservative party consider the Indian-origin MP to be the best placed candidate to provide stability and provide confidence for millions of workers and businesses. But journalist-turned-politician Boris Johnson has the backing of six current Cabinet ministers. The tally of MPs publicly supporting him for the comeback stands at 53, with former Home Secretary Priti Patel among his high-profile backers, and his loyalists are confident that he would hit the 100-MP mark required on Monday to make the shortlist.

“Boris has the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right. I’m backing him in the leadership contest,” Priti Patel said in a tweet.

If any one candidate secures 156 MPs, then the race would be be a two-way contest given there are 357 Tory MPs in Commons.

However, there is speculation that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak might strike some kind of a deal. Sunak is expected to reject any offer of a Cabinet role during the leadership race, given he is the frontrunner and had resigned from a Johnson government once already this year, The Telegraph reported.

Sunak is also being urged to offer Johnson a Cabinet role, such as home secretary, to agree to get him to stand back ahead of any voting with Tory members, the report said.

AE News