E™ PM to be announced on

LONDON - Rishi Sunak underlined his status as Tory leadership’s front runner today as more Cabinet big beasts backed him - with Liz Truss begging the Tory right to unite behind her to take him on.

Would-be PMs have just hours left to rack up the 20 nominations needed to feature in the first round of

–AFP

LONDON - The new UK prime minister to replace the outgoing Boris Johnson will be announced on September 5, the ruling Conservative party said Monday, with 11 hopefuls currently vying for the job.

The leadership contest was triggered last week when Johnson, (58), was forced to step down after a frenzy of more than 50 resignations from his government, in opposition to his the contest, with voting due to start tomorrow.

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 scandal-hit premiership.

The influential 1922 Committee of non-ministerial Tory MPs in Parliament on Monday, outlined a timetable for the party’s leadership election. Nominations officially opened and closed yesterday, with a new prime minister set to be installed when parliament returns from the summer break on September 5, Graham Brady, Chair of the 1922 Committee, told reporters. ‘‘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.’’