Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
International

Rishi Sunak cementing position as Tory leadership front-runner

Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Jul, 2022 11:02 AM
  • Rishi Sunak cementing position as Tory leadership front-runner

London, July 12 (IANS) UK's former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak underlined his status as Tory leadership front runner on Tuesday as more Cabinet big beasts backed him - with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss begging the Tory right to unite behind her to take him on, media reports said on Tuesday.

Would-be PMs have just hours left to rack up the 20 nominations needed to feature in the first round of the contest, with voting due to start on Wednesday, Daily Mail reported.

Sunak already appears to be well over the threshold as he formally launched his campaign this morning, introduced by deputy PM Dominic Raab and Grant Shapps.

The former Chancellor again batted away calls for tax cuts before inflation is under control, saying "we need to have a grown up conversation". At the event in Westminster, he also heaped praise on Boris Johnson, describing him as "one of the most remarkable people I have ever met" who has a "good heart" - but it was "not working" any more.

Sunak - who only took a few questions from the media while journalists asking combative points were heckled by the crowd - said his plan was to "tackle inflation, grow the economy and cut taxes". "I want to have a grown up conversation where I can tell you the truth," he said.

Raab said before the speech: "We need a leader who can win... he is the only one who can win", Daily Mail reported.

Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat also seem to have reached nominations the mark, while Truss is over the top after securing endorsements from Boris Johnson allies Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries - who declared their loyalty on the steps of Downing Street.

However, other big names are struggling, with Jeremy Hunt, Nadhim Zahawi, Sajid Javid, and Priti Patel all short of declared backers.

MORE International ARTICLES

Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill

Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill
Paxlovid has become the go-to option against COVID-19 because of its at-home convenience and impressive results in heading off severe disease. The U.S. government has spent more than $10 billion to purchase enough pills to treat 20 million people.    

Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill

CDC probing 109 liver illnesses in kids, including 5 deaths

CDC probing 109 liver illnesses in kids, including 5 deaths
About two dozen states reported suspected cases after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a call for doctors to be on the lookout for surprising cases of hepatitis. The cases date back to late October in children under 10. So far, only nine cases in Alabama have been confirmed.    

CDC probing 109 liver illnesses in kids, including 5 deaths

FDA restricts J&J's COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk

FDA restricts J&J's COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk
FDA officials said in a statement that they decided to restrict J&J's vaccine after taking another look at data on the risk of life-threatening blood clots within two week of vaccination.

FDA restricts J&J's COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk

Omicron's latest subvariant BA.2.12.1 proves virus not declining: Report

Omicron's latest subvariant BA.2.12.1 proves virus not declining: Report
Preliminary research suggests it is about 25 per cent more transmissible than the BA.2 subvariant that is currently dominant nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Omicron's latest subvariant BA.2.12.1 proves virus not declining: Report

China permits Indian students to return on 'need-assessed' basis

China permits Indian students to return on 'need-assessed' basis
According to the Embassy, following the meeting of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on March 25, the Chinese side has expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis.

China permits Indian students to return on 'need-assessed' basis

US confirms 1st human case of bird flu

US confirms 1st human case of bird flu
The person tested positive for the avian influenza A (H5) virus and was involved in the culling of poultry presumed to have had H5N1 bird flu, Xinhua news agency quoted the CDC as saying on Thursday.

US confirms 1st human case of bird flu