The 50-year-old democrat said on Twitter that the former prime minister has a "proven track record" of making good judgments.
Digital Desk: Since Rishi Sunak retained a big lead in the latest campaign for the Conservative Party leadership, the former chancellor secured the support of at least 100 Tory MPs, assuring that if he openly confirms his candidacy, he will go to a poll of party members next week.
Amidst this, Priti Patel, who served as British Home Secretary in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Cabinet, backed her ex-boss as the strongest choice to succeed Liz Truss in 10 Downing Street on Saturday.
The Indian-origin MP, who had been notably silent on her choice of Conservative Party leader in the last leadership campaign between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, claimed Boris Johnson has the public mandate to deliver for the Tories from the 2019 general election.
The 50-year-old politician took to Twitter to say that the former prime minister had a "proven track record" of making the right decisions, in an apparent attempt to override the partygate scandal of COVID lockdown law-breaking parties, which critics have pointed out as a major impediment to Johnson's comeback.
"Boris has the mandate to execute on our election programme and a track record of making sound judgments. I'm rooting for him in the leadership race "She posted on Twitter.
Her intervention comes as Johnson now aged 58 years old, returns to London from his Caribbean vacation and is widely expected to run against frontrunner Rishi Sunak in the race to replace Truss, who resigned earlier this week, ending the shortest tenure of a British Prime Minister at 44 days of financial market chaos and policy U-turns.
Despite the fact that Johnson resigned himself six weeks ago in the wake of several scandals and widespread resignations among his cabinet colleagues, he continues to have support from many Tory MPs and the larger party.
At least three Cabinet members—Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke—have publicly declared their support for Johnson. In comparison to Sunak, who has 100 backers, Boris now holds roughly 46, which is below the number needed to be included on the shortlist by Monday at 2 p.m. local time.
The Scenario of UK PM Race:
If just one contender emerges by then, the United Kingdom might have a new Prime Minister by early next week. If there is a battle between the two selected candidates, the 170,000 Tory members will be able to vote online to choose a new Tory leader by Friday.
So far, it appears to be a three-way race, with third-placed Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt unveiling her campaign video in an attempt to sway additional MPs and improve her count of about 21.
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