Boris Johnson drops out of UK Conservative leadership race

LONDON (Reuters) – Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pulled out of the race to become Britain’s next leader, saying he has the support of enough lawmakers to advance to the next stage but far less than the former chancellor. Rishi Sunak.

“There is a very good chance that I will be successful in the election with members of the Conservative Party and indeed return to Downing Street on Friday,” Johnson said in a statement.

“But in the course of the past days I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that this simply would not be the right thing to do. You cannot govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.”

Johnson, who has not officially announced his attempt to return to Downing Street, spent the weekend trying to persuade Conservative lawmakers to support him and said on Sunday he had the support of 102 of them.

He needed 100 backings by Monday to advance to the next stage, which would have seen him come head-to-head against Sunak in a vote by 170,000 Conservative Party members.

According to Sky News, Sunak, whose resignation as chancellor in July helped precipitate Johnson’s downfall, has crossed the threshold of 100 lawmakers needed to advance to the next stage, garnering 142 announced supporters on Sunday.

He will be named Conservative Party leader and become prime minister on Monday unless candidate Benny Mordaunt reaches the threshold of 100 supporters to force a re-vote by party members. And it had 24 supporters announced on Sunday.

Paul Sandel reports

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