Several British MPs, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are trying to muster the necessary votes before a short and intense race begins to take its place Liz Trussthe prime minister is out which lasts 45 days in office.

The Conservatives are in a fast race to replace Truss, with a new leader – who will also become prime minister – to be chosen within a week.

Who are the candidates?

Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt are among bookmakers’ favourites, along with Johnson, who was forced to resign by the party more than three months ago, after being embroiled in his ethics and financial scandal.

• Johnson did not say whether he would run, but his allies in Parliament are working to rally support.
• The nominations for a new leader will close on Monday afternoon, with candidates requiring the signatures of 100 of the 357 Conservative MPs, meaning a maximum of three.

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• MPs will vote to sideline one of them, and hold an indicative vote on the bottom two.
• The 172,000 party members will then be able to decide between the two finalists in an online vote. A new leader must be elected before 28 October.

Who has the best chance of achieving the position of Prime Minister?

Sunak, second only to Truss in the summer leadership contest, is favored by some as a safe partner who could stabilize a struggling economy. Mordaunt, who came in third, was popular with party members.

• But Johnson’s figure is also relevant because he has strong support in the party.
• Several other Conservative lawmakers have said they would leave the party if Johnson – who faces an ongoing investigation by the standards committee into whether he lied to Parliament – returns as leader.

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• Polls show that if elections were held now, the Conservatives would be defeated and the centre-left Labor Party would win a large majority.

Main news sources: AP