(Bloomberg) -- The UK’s opposition Conservative Party will announce former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s replacement as leader on Nov. 2 after a contest that will run for more than 3 months.
Sunak is formally standing down as Tory leader following his party’s heavy defeat at the general election earlier this month, the party said in an emailed statement. He will remain as interim leader until a successor is named. The bookmakers’ favorite to succeed him is former Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch.
The process of selecting potential candidates begins this week, with nominations opening on Wednesday at 7 p.m., according to a timetable released by the party. Nominations will close mid-afternoon on July 29. Contenders will need the backing of 10 Tory members of Parliament to make the ballot.
Conservative lawmakers will then vote for their preferred choice, narrowing the shortlist down to four, who will make their case to grassroots members at the annual party conference starting at the end of September.
After that so-called beauty parade, Tory MPs will whittle the candidates down to a final two, who will then go forward to a vote by members. The winner of that vote, and therefore the opposition leader to premier Keir Starmer, will be announced on November 2, the party said.
Other potential contenders include former Home Office minister Robert Jenrick and former Home Secretary Priti Patel from the right of the party, Tom Tugendhat from the center-right, and James Cleverly, the former Home Secretary.
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