Reports suggest Tories are looking to replace Liz Truss. Who could be the next UK PM?

With just a month in office, United Kingdom PM Liz Truss might be on her way out of 10 Downing Street. Rumours are floating that the senior Tory leadersare reportedly planning to replace her with Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt.

Can Liz Truss truly be replaced this soon?

Yes. One way is that Truss herself resigns. Another is that senior ministers force her out.

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As per Reuters, for this to happen, her cabinet ministers could start resigning, forcing her hand or a vote of confidence among the conservatives can also do the job. However as per the rules, given the very short time she has been in office, this cannot happen right now.

The vote cannot happen till September 2023.

A vote by the opposition can also do the job but this will be subject to a majority vote.

Watch |UK: Liz Truss faces backlash from conservative MPs; Tory MPs plan to rescue party

Who can replace Truss?

While reports indicate that Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak are the candidates that have backing, Guardian puts the number at five. In addition to Sunak and Mordaunt, Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and defense secretary Ben Wallace reportedly also stand a chance at being 10 Downing Street's next resident. Sky News adds to the list the newly appointed Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt.

Rishi Sunak

The obvious choice. Sunak and Truss had a neck-to-neck competition for the Tory leadership just about a month back.

He has the added advantage of being proven right. During campaigning Sunak repeatedly warned that cutting too many taxes too soon would be dangerous for the economy. This was portrayed by Truss and her followers as "the over-cautious voice of a discredited Treasury orthodoxy". But now, Sunak's concerns have come true, which makes him appear like the safer choice for a leader.

Penny Mordaunt

Conservatives have reportedly been discussing replacing Truss with the joint forces of Sunak and Mordaunt.

Another of Truss's competitors in the leadership contest, Mordaunt was touted as the number two choice after Sunak, till Truss took over in the fifth and final round.

Boris Johnson

This is a name that not many would expect. While in office just a month or so back, Johnson faced a flurry of scandals, but he still has his share of supporters and a "resurrection" just might happen. As per a Guardian analysis, He had a core of supporters who felt Johnson's departure over the scandals was unfair and their numbers are sure to have grown "as Tory MPs and members grasp for anything that could rescue the party from electoral oblivion".

Michael Gove

He served in a key position in Truss's predecessor Boris Johnson's cabinet before being sacked.

The former Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities recently at a Conservative conference even voiced "suggestions" for Truss.

Ben Wallace

The defence secretary, much like Mordaunt is "getting on quietly with the day job as the chaos rages around him, with the same arguable increase in reputation, even by default," writes Peter Walker for Guardian.

Wallace was seen as a successor to Johnson and is a favourite among Tory members.

Jeremy Hunt

As Sky News puts it upon being called in to replace Kwasi Kwarteng, Hunt is currently widely seen as the most powerful figure in the government.

However, Hunt himself doesn't think Truss being replaced now is a good idea.

"The worst thing for that would be more political instability at the top - another protracted leadership campaign," he told BBC during an interview on Sunday.

"The prime minister is in charge," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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