Johnson drops out of race to be PM
Print Edition
THE race to become Britain’s next prime minister took a dramatic and surprising turn yesterday, with former London Mayor Boris Johnson — widely considered a frontrunner — ruling himself out of the race after the defection of a key ally.
In a morning of political machinations and mutterings of treachery, Justice Secretary Michael Gove abruptly withdrew his support for Johnson and announced he was running for the Conservative Party leadership himself.
Johnson, a prominent campaigner for British withdrawal from the European Union, told a news conference that the next Conservative leader would need to unite the party and ensure Britain’s standing in the world.
“Having consulted colleagues and in view of the circumstances in Parliament, I have concluded that person cannot be me,” he said, to the astonishment of journalists and supporters in the room.
Johnson dropped out after Gove, Johnson’s ally in leading the EU “Leave” campaign, startled the political world by announcing that he was running to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron.
The announcement by Johnson, 52, is an astonishing twist in a political career that saw him serve as lawmaker and mayor, building a public profile on Latin quips and rumpled eccentricity, while nurturing a poorly concealed ambition to lead his country.
Johnson’s decision to break with longtime ally Cameron and back the “Leave” side in Britain’s referendum seemed to have paid off last week, when Cameron resigned after voters decided by 52 to 48 percent to exit the bloc.
Home Secretary Theresa May, Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom and former Defense Secretary Liam Fox are also in the race.
Conservative lawmakers will choose two finalists, and party members will choose the winner in a postal ballot.
The winner of the contest, to be announced on September 9, will become prime minister and play a vital role in shaping the nature of Britain’s relationship with the European Union after last week’s Brexit vote ended the career of Cameron, whose bid to keep Britain in the EU failed.
The bookies’ early favorite is May, who is seen by many in the party as a safe pair of hands as the country struggles to disentangle itself from the EU.
“This is not a normal leadership held under normal circumstances,” May said. “The result means we face a period of uncertainty we need to address head on.”
Although May had offered a tepid endorsement of Britain’s place in the EU during the referendum campaign, she was clear the vote would be respected.
“The United Kingdom will leave the EU,” she said, pledging to create a brand new government department devoted to negotiating Britain’s “sensible and orderly” departure from the 28-nation bloc.
The opposition Labour Party is also in extreme disarray, with leader Jeremy Corbyn facing intense pressure to resign after losing a confidence vote. He has lost the support of the party’s lawmakers but claims the rank and file still back him
He is expected to face a formal leadership challenge in the coming days. He has faced heavy criticism for failing to campaign effectively in support of keeping Britain within the EU.
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