# Factbox-Who will replace UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson?
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-07-20
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Meet the Finalists: Mordaunt, Sunak and Truss | Boris
Meta Description: Learn about Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, and Liz Truss - the top candidates vying for the UK's highest office. Who will lead Britain next?
URL: https://financedigest.com/factbox-who-will-replace-uk-prime-minister-boris-johnsonhtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-07-12t105651z1lynxmpei6b0eyrtroptp4britain-politics-1736815563470-compressed.jpg)

By Andrew MacAskill and Kylie MacLellan

LONDON (Reuters) – Three candidates are left in the contest to replace Boris Johnson as British prime minister.

Below are some details on the contenders, who are listed in alphabetical order.

PENNY MORDAUNT

The former defence secretary was sacked by Johnson after she endorsed his rival, Jeremy Hunt, during the 2019 leadership contest.

Mordaunt, 49, was a passionate supporter of [leaving the EU and has said she will aim to deliver the benefits of Brexit](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-ready-to-leave-brexit-and-the-essex-sme.html "“EU Ready to Leave?”: Brexit and the Essex SME") and help Britain recover from economic shocks such as the pandemic.

Currently a junior trade minister, Mordaunt called the COVID lockdown-breaking parties in government “shameful” and has said that if she is prime minister, [leadership has to change to be less about the leader](https://www.financedigest.com/young-leaders-forum-paul-forkans-leadership-thoughts.html "Young Leaders Forum: Paul Forkan’s leadership thoughts").

[RISHI SUNAK](https://www.financedigest.com/british-pm-rishi-sunak-pledges-further-action-on-strikes-to-protect-lives.html "British PM Rishi Sunak pledges further action on strikes to ‘protect lives’")

In his campaign launch video, Sunak promised to confront the difficult [economic backdrop](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-softens-against-murky-economic-backdrop.html "Sterling softens against murky economic backdrop") with “honesty, seriousness and determination”, rather than piling the burden onto future generations.

The 42-year-old became [finance minister](https://www.financedigest.com/scottish-finance-minister-kate-forbes-to-run-for-countrys-leadership.html "Scottish finance minister Kate Forbes to run for country’s leadership") in early 2020 and was praised for a COVID economic rescue package, including a costly jobs retention programme that averted mass unemployment.

But he later faced [criticism for not giving enough cost-of-living support](https://www.financedigest.com/keysource-to-provide-critical-facilitiesmanagement-support-for-leeds-city-council.html "KEYSOURCE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL FACILITIESMANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR LEEDS CITY COUNCIL") to households. Revelations this year about his wealthy wife’s non-domiciled tax status, and a fine he received for breaking [COVID lockdown rules](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-slips-as-boost-from-new-china-covid-rules-fades.html "Sterling slips as boost from new China COVID rules fades"), have damaged his standing.

His tax-and-spend budget last year put [Britain on course for its biggest tax burden](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-plans-new-data-rules-to-ease-compliance-burden.html "Britain plans new data rules to ease compliance burden") since the 1950s, undermining his claims to favour lower taxes.

Sunak voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

LIZ TRUSS

The [foreign secretary has been the darling of the Conservative Party’s grassroots and has regularly topped polls of party members carried out by the website Conservative Home](https://www.financedigest.com/foreign-investment-spain-hits-5-year-high-costa-del-sol-winning-second-home-buyers.html "Foreign investment in Spain hits 5-year high, with Costa del Sol winning over second home buyers").

Truss has a carefully cultivated public image and was photographed in a tank last year, echoing a famous 1986 photo of former [prime minister](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-queen-elizabeth-will-appoint-new-prime-minister-at-balmoral.html "Britain’s Queen Elizabeth will appoint new prime minister at Balmoral") Margaret Thatcher.

She spent the first two years of Johnson’s premiership as [international trade](https://www.financedigest.com/managing-trade-credit-and-insurance-in-the-context-of-international-commerce-expansion.html "Managing trade credit and insurance in the context of international commerce expansion ") secretary and is now in charge of dealing with the EU over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, where she has taken an increasingly tough line in negotiations.

Truss, 46, initially [campaigned against Brexit but after the 2016 referendum said she had changed](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-advertising-the-answer-to-that-question-will-change-your-advertising-campaigns.html "What is Advertising? The Answer to That Question Will Change Your Advertising Campaigns!") her mind.

($1 = 0.7971 pound)

(Additional reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Alison Williams)


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---