Attorney General confirms Tory leadership bid as Boris prepares to quit

From Legal Cheek Awards to No.10?

The Attorney General Suella Braverman has gone public with her ambitions to become the next leader of the Conservative Party as Boris Johnson prepares to step down as Prime Minister.

Live on ITV’s Peston, Braverman said yesterday evening that she would not resign but went on to state that “if there is a leadership contest, yes, I will put my name into the ring”. She is the first Conservative MP to publicly announce a leadership bid.

.@Peston: A number of your colleagues have wondered if you have thought about standing?@SuellaBraverman: I’ll be honest with you, Robert. Yes, I will.

The Attorney General says she wants to be the UK’s next Prime Minister.#Peston pic.twitter.com/mpjcDejEoe

— Peston (@itvpeston) July 6, 2022

Since then, it has been reported this morning that Boris Johnson will resign at PM, although there are suggestions he will try to remain in the post until the Autumn whilst a new party leader is elected. A statement is expected to come later today.

Called to the bar in 2005, Braverman remains a member of No 5 Chambers, where her practice used to span commercial litigation, planning and environment, and public law. Earlier this year she dished out the award for Best Journal 2022 at the annual Legal Cheek Awards in London.

If successful in her leadership bid, Braverman would become the sixteenth Prime Minister who started out their career by training as a barrister.

But Braverman will likely face stiff competition for the top Tory role. Other MPs rumoured to be considering a leadership bid include ex-Linklaters lawyer Dominic Raab, the now former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and High Wycombe MP Steve Baker.