A summary of today's developments
- Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, has launched his campaign for the Tory leadership. In a video for his website called Ready4Rishi, he stresses his immigrant heritage, declares that “family is everything to me” and insists he will not be a candidate offering “comforting fairy tales”.
- Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, who resigned from government two days ago, has announced she will be joining the running to be Boris Johnson’s successor. She told the Times she would radically cut the size of the state and provide a “limited government focused on essentials”.
- Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has decided not to run as a Conservative leadership candidate and has instead backed Suella Braverman. Braverman told the Telegraph: “There’s no better organiser in Westminster, and I’m so glad it’s my campaign that has got him. He’ll make a vital contribution.”
- Peter Bone MP is to be Deputy Leader of the House of Commons. Stuart Andrew, who resigned on Wednesday as housing minister in protest against Boris Johnson staying on as PM, is back in the government as a justice minister.
- The government announced its junior ministerial appointments. Damian Collins to be parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Michael Tomlinson to be vice chamberlain of HM Household (government whip), Craig Whittaker to be a government whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury), James Duddridge to be a government whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury).
- Durham police announced they are not fining anyone over “Beergate”. Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner are cleared of breaking any lockdown rules.
- James Cleverly, newly appointed as education secretary, has ruled out running for Conservative leader. He told Sky News: “As you know, my wife has been going through cancer treatment. While that is going well it hasn’t concluded. “It’s not the right time for me and I feel comfortable that we have a range of candidates within the party that would make excellent prime ministers.”
Tory MPs Chloe Smith and Julian Knight have both expressed their support for foreign secretary Liz Truss, although she is yet to launch a bid.
Smith said Truss is “the right person to take our country forward”, while Knight said she would “deliver on the promise we made to our voters”.
