Yahoo News 'Lord Frost is a true Conservative': Readers on who should be the next Prime Minister
Boris Johnson is facing a rebellion from Conservative MPs fed up with his handling of "Partygate". Christian Wakeford, a Red Wall Tory MP, defected to Labour just minutes before the PM delivered his address at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday in a move that was seen as a significant blow to Mr Johnson.
To add insult to injury, in his address at PMQs, former Brexit Minister, David Davis, told the Prime Minister "in the name of God, go" after as many as 11 of Mr Johnson’s own Red Wall MPs submitted a letter of no confidence as part of a "pork pie plot" to oust him.
Iain Dale, the Tory commentator and LBC host, has outlined possible candidates to take over at Number 10 and readers have been quick to share their thoughts on who they think could be the next PM if Boris resigns, with Lord Frost, David Davis, Steve Baker and Penny Mordaunt all front-runners.
Read on to see what your fellow readers had to say.
'Lord Frost should consider standing as an MP'
@Tim Murphy:
"Lord Frost should consider standing as an MP. He has held senior office as a key Cabinet minister and he has been the most effective even when being undermined internally. He has shown integrity, competence, courage, toughness and tells it like it is. He is top of my list."
'An outsider is likely to find favour with the membership'
@David Lonsdale:
"All of the present Cabinet are tainted by association, so an outsider is likely to find favour with the membership. If Steve Baker were in the final two the membership would elect him with a landslide."
'Surround Rishi Sunak with older and wiser heads and it could be a winning formula'
@Bill Johnson:
"I would go for Rishi Sunak, but at the age of 41 he is on the young side. Surround him with older and wiser heads in key positions, however, and it could be a winning formula. Someone young, dynamic and successful at the head with people of experience and wisdom around him."
'Lord Frost is a true Conservative'
@Nick Flynn:
"Are we missing the most impressive of the lot? What about Lord Frost? He is a true Conservative, highly intelligent, has gravitas and statesman qualities and is obviously a man of conscience. Maybe I’m missing a trick here and he’s not eligible but I find myself nodding in agreement with almost everything he says.
"Whoever gets the job needs to look carefully at the advisors in Downing Street. It is clear to most of us that the current lot of advisors are too young, too inexperienced and generally pretty useless."
'Maybe Steve Baker, but the charisma is not there'
@Paul Anderson:
"I want an end to Covid restrictions, the completion of Brexit, lower tax, a blitz on the Blob, better defences and an end to eco-lunacy. Which of Iain's candidates would provide that? Maybe Steve Baker, but the charisma is not there. So that leaves me with either Lord Frost or Richard Tice's Reform UK Party."
'We desperately need a right of centre, pro-libertarian Conservative'
@Eloise Hurren:
"I disagree with Mr. Dale's analysis. The majority of the line up are not appealing at all, apart from two but I would argue they aren't experienced enough yet to run the country - Penny Mordaunt and Steve Baker.
"We desperately need a right of centre, pro-libertarian, small state, low tax Conservative with plenty of experience, such as Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis or Sir Graham Brady, but the latter depressingly probably isn't going to happen this time around.
"I really fear a repeat of the days of Heath before Labour got back in until the great Mrs Thatcher appeared on the horizon."
'Penny Mordaunt would be a breath of fresh air'
@Nick Brennan:
"The only choice if Boris is sacked has to be Penny Mordaunt. She is very articulate, excellent at the dispatch box, intelligent and, unlike so many other politicians, says it as it is.
"She would be a breath of fresh air. The way she dismantles Labour politicians at question time with accurate sound political argument is a joy to watch."
'The only person I would trust is Lord Frost'
@Colin Harris:
"We can see why they are hanging on to Boris Johnson. Priti Patel still hasn't dealt with Channel migrants or socialist police commissioners. Dominic Raab remained on holiday during the disastrous fall of Kabul. Rishi Sunak at 41 is smart, bright and too young. Liz Truss copy-pasted a number of trade deals which previously went through the EU, but I haven't seen any major achievements. Even as foreign secretary she doesn't inspire authority.
"I don't really know who Jeremy Hunt is. As for Michael Gove, his behaviour after the Brexit victory has done him no favours. The only person I would trust is Lord Frost, who did a fantastic job facing up to Michel Barnier and delivering Brexit."
'David Davis is a realist and has proper hinterland which taught him a lot'
@Anita Saye:
"I cannot believe David Davis is not on the list, he should be at the top. He has charm and intellect. He is also a realist and has proper hinterland which taught him a lot. He is authentic, skilled, cheerful, modest and dedicated. I genuinely feel he would be the best choice, with Lord Frost as his right hand man. Maybe then we will, finally, get Brexit done. As for levelling up, he is a Northern MP - the man most likely to succeed."
'For a candidate with integrity and decency I would pick Penny Mordaunt'
@Christopher Hayman:
"For a candidate with the integrity and decency which Johnson so conspicuously lacks, I would pick Penny Mordaunt ahead of any others on the list. Her back story, well documented by Iain Dale in a Sunday Times profile two years ago, described a woman of principle and intelligence, but with a sense of humour too."
