Hart backs Sunak as Tories gear up for new leadership election
Former Welsh Secretary Simon Hart has confirmed his support for Rishi Sunak in next week’s Tory leadership campaign.
The party is going back to the drawing board following the disastrous premiership of Liz Truss who resigned yesterday after just 45 days as Prime Minister.
Mr Hart was appointed Welsh Secretary in 2019 and resigned in July after Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to step down despite calls from some of his own cabinet ministers to quit.
In a statement on Twitter, Mr Hart, the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said: “After the last few weeks, the very least we can do for the country is to get the right PM this time.
“No time for experiments; no time for frivolity; no time to line up a job offer. This is about choosing someone serious, tested, competent and kind. For me that is Rishi Sunak.”
Hart’s fellow Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb, another former Welsh Secretary, and Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones are also backing the former Chancellor.
Ruled out
No candidates have so far declared publicly that they are standing yet, however both Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt ruled themselves out of the running yesterday..
Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers that decides the rules of a leadership contest, said he hoped a new leader could be in office by next Friday (28 October) at the latest.
Nominations opened on Thursday night and will close at 2pm on Monday.
Candidates will need a minimum of 100 nominations to proceed to the ballot.
The first ballot of MPs will be held on Monday Afternoon and if a second vote is required it will be conducted on Monday evening.
If two candidates remain the party’s membership will get to vote, with a winner announced by Friday.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
The only reason he failed the first time is because Tory members and voters do not want to be led by a brown coloured man. Evidence, surely that many of them are racist.
I’m sure only about 60-70% of them are racist
Has April Fools Day been brought forward? It seems as if we are living bad dream. The Tories are clueless if they think by bringing Boris Johnson back as PM will change their fortunes. Oven ready. More like burnt offerings.
And we again have of those tretcherous Wales MPs like ex-WS Simon Hart who latch themselves onto the likes of Rishy Sunak like a Tory tick in the hope they will have a cabinet position truly sickening.
Woopy doo for him. At least he’ll get a chance to vote – we are constantly sitting around completely useless. Watching this soap opera. There’s no democracy in this We need a General Election now.