What Next for Tories? Whoever Is Leader Faces Threat of Farage

  • Sunak’s replacement will be tasked with countering Reform
  • Party is licking its wounds after worst result in its history
Rishi Sunak, outgoing UK prime minister, and his wife leave after he delivered his resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street in London on July 5.Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

The Conservatives considered themselves Britain’s party of government, coming to power with promises to rescue the economy and restore stablility. Now, after the worst election result in their history, it’s more a case of who can come in to rescue them and restore their fortunes.

The Tories, whose 14-year term was dominated by wrangling over leaving the European Union and the handling of the pandemic, face a fight to avoid a generation in opposition. That starts with finding a new chief who can reverse a surge in votes for Brexit architect Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.