Rishi Sunak Announces His Bid To Contest In The Tory Party Leadership Race

British Conservative Rishi Sunak on Sunday, October 23, announced he is standing to be prime minister, setting up a potentially bruising battle with his former boss Boris Johnson, who just returned to UK from a vacation in the Caribbean to consider throwing his hat in the leadership race.

As per new rules, to be a viable contestant, each candidate needs to secure support of at least 100 MPs. Rishi Sunak has already secured the backing of 100 MPs before even announcing his bid.

Ex-finance minister Sunak said he had a "track record of delivery" as he vowed to lead Britain out of a period of "profound economic crisis", which experts say has been worsened by the aborted policies of outgoing leader Liz Truss.

"I want to fix our economy, unite our party and deliver for our country," he said in a short statement posted on Twitter confirming his widely expected candidacy.

The no-frills announcement contrasted with his last failed bid to be Tory leader, when he faced criticism for a well produced video launched just days after he had helped depose ex-prime minister Johnson by resigning in July.

Mr. Sunak is the second Conservative MP to declare a run at the top job after cabinet member Penny Mordaunt launched her campaign on Friday.

Mr. Johnson, 58, is also anticipated to enter the race, after he cut short a luxury Caribbean holiday to return to Britain Saturday and attempt an audacious political comeback less than two months after leaving office.

He is said to be intensely lobbying Conservative colleagues ahead of a Monday deadline to secure the 100 nominations required to face a vote of Tory MPs.

Mr. Sunak has raced ahead in that count, with the 42-year-old crossing the minimum threshold Friday and currently boasting the public backing of 129 Tory lawmakers, according to a BBC tally.

That compares to Mr. Johnson's 53 and 23 for Ms. Mordaunt, though the Johnson's allies insist he has already amassed the 100 nominations.