UK, 16/7: As the race to become Britain’s next prime minister gained pace, caretaker premier Boris Johnson has reportedly told his allies to back “anyone but Rishi Sunak”, according to a media report on Friday.
Johnson, who resigned as the leader of the ruling Conservative Party on July 7, has been urging defeated Tory leadership candidates not to back former chancellor Sunak, who is widely blamed for Johnson’s loss of support among his own party members, The Times newspaper reported.
Johnson, who has said he will not endorse any leadership candidates or publicly intervene in the contest, is believed to have held conversations with failed contenders to succeed him and urged that Sunak should not become the prime minister.