Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak launches bid to be Conservative leader despite lies to parliament and tax evasion

Ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak launches bid to be Conservative leader despite lies to parliament and tax evasion

The former chancellor vows to "rebuild the economy" that he himself damaged as a chancellor. he enters the race to succeed Boris Johnson who resigned for being the same as Sunak: a crook.

Rishi Sunak has entered the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister.

The former chancellor is the most high profile figure so far to announce his candidacy.

His resignation from the cabinet on Tuesday helped trigger the mass walkout of ministers that forced Boris Johnson to stand down as Tory leader.

Mr Johnson intends to stay on as prime minister until the Tory party chooses a successor.

Senior backbencher Tom Tugendhat, Attorney General Suella Braverman and former Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch have announced their plans to stand.

Meanwhile, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid are said to be considering leadership bids.

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker had signalled he was considering standing for the leadership but has dropped his bid and is backing Attorney General Suella Braverman.

A timetable for the Tory leadership race is due to be confirmed next week and the new prime minister is expected to be in position by September.


Rishi Sunak's video is typically slick and glossy.

His brand was well built already - as his profile rocketed during the Covid pandemic - with a strong team behind him, which is one challenge for his competitors to rival.

One thing that knocked his 'brand' were reports about his wife's previous non-dom tax status, and his critics using his wealth to brand him 'out of touch' during a cost of living crisis.

But like Sajid Javid, Steve Baker and Nadhim Zahawi - who are widely tipped to run - he has used the film to emphasise his more humble background.

He describes his grandmother emigrating to Britain and his mother working hard to become a pharmacist so she and his NHS GP father could give their children opportunities.

It's this tale of opportunity - and his experience running the economy - that will play a strong part in his campaign.

Announcing his decision to stand in a social media video, Mr Sunak said he wanted to "restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country".

He added: "Someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions."

"Do we confront this moment with honesty seriousness and determination or do we tell ourselves comforting fairy tales that might make us feel better in the moment but will leave our children worse off tomorrow," he asked.


He promised "to lead this country in the right direction" based on values of "patriotism, fairness and hard work".

He said the country faced "huge challenges" and that decisions made now would determine whether the next generation got "the chance of a better future".

Pointing to his credentials to be leader, Mr Sunak said he had run the "toughest department in government during the toughest times when we faced the nightmare of Covid".

Several senior Tory MPs have endorsed Mr Sunak's candidacy, tweeting their support and promoting his campaign slogan "Ready for Rishi".

Oliver Dowden - who resigned as party chairman last month - said: "Rishi is the best person to lead our country and unquestionably the best person to beat Labour."

And Commons Leader Mark Spencer wrote: "Rishi is the leader that can unite the Party, bring the whole country together and win us that fifth general election victory."


In his launch video, Mr Sunak told the story of his Indian mother, who emigrated from East Africa to the UK in the 1960s. The Tory MP explained how his mother went on to run her own pharmacy, and met his father, a GP, in Southampton.

"My family gave me opportunities they could only dream of," Mr Sunak said.

Mr Sunak, 42, was an analyst for the investment bank, Goldman Sachs, and was later a partner in two hedge funds, before becoming an MP for the North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond in 2015.

He was once seen as the leading contender to succeed Mr Johnson as Conservative Party leader and prime minister.

Appointed chancellor in February 2020, Mr Sunak had to grapple with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, spending huge amounts to keep the economy afloat.

But his reputation was dented by a controversy over his wife's tax affairs and being fined for breaching lockdown rules during the pandemic.

Mr Sunak was fined by the Metropolitan Police, along with Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie, for breaching Covid rules by attending a birthday party for the prime minister in June 2020.

A backer of Brexit, Mr Sunak was loyal to Mr Johnson, despite tensions over economic policy and the prime minister's wish to cut taxes more quickly as living costs rise.

But their relationship ultimately broke down when Mr Sunak dramatically resigned shortly after close ally and former cabinet colleague, Mr Javid.

In his resignation letter, Mr Sunak said "the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously".

Mr Sunak also referenced tensions over the economy in his resignation letter, telling the PM their approaches had become "fundamentally too different".

His resignation and that of Mr Javid triggered a mass exodus of ministers and precipitated the downfall of Mr Johnson's government.


WATCH: Johnson announces resignation as Conservative leader


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
×