Former Home Secretary Priti Patel will run to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party, Sky News has learned.
Rumors have been circulating in Westminster for months that the Conservative MP would prepare to run if the party lost the general election.
Now, after The Labor Party’s landslide victory two weeks ago, Ms Patel made the decision to proceed, as first reported in the Telegraph.
Several other candidates are also expected to take part, including Patel’s successor at the Home Office, Suella Braverman.
Other candidates include former business secretary Kemi Badenoch, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and former security minister Tom Tugenhadt.
But none officially announced their candidacy.
Sunak will remain in the role until a new leader is announced, but the party is divided about whether it should be a quick delivery or a longer competition.
Shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell told Sky News on Monday that Sunak’s instinct “is almost certainly to leave” but more time is needed for potential successors to present their case.
But other senior figures fear a prolonged dispute could leave a vacuum for Labor and Reform UK to capitalize on.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
