Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak, competitors due to replace now former PM Liz Truss, convened on Saturday to talk over the Conservative leadership contest, and according to sources, are seeking to abolish the need to take a possibly divisive vote between them to party members.

Tory MPs called on Johnson and Sunak to set aside differences and agree on one of them being the next PM while the other would serve in a senior cabinet position. However, that possibility came close to impossible due to previous tension between the two men when Sunak resigned as finance minister during Johnson's term. 

The third candidate, Penny Mordaunt, was the one to publicly announce the men's candidacy but she herself has less support. With Johnson falling a little behind Sunak in the race, the latter scored a win on Saturday with the support of International Trade Secretary and key figure on the party’s right, Kemi Badenoch. 

With the Tories already in panic mode after Liz Truss’s exit 44 days after being declared prime minister, a potential clash between Sunak and Johnson has the party even more alarmed. Truss has become the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the country. She said she would stay in office until her replacement was picked, noting that a new party leader would be voted next week. 

Johnson’s Brexit minister, Lord Frost, said the party should "move on" and back Sunak. In agreement with that, ex-party chairman Lord Ashcroft published a tweet commenting that Johnson should sit aside and support his former chancellor.  

Whatever the talents of @BorisJohnson and he has many but this is not his time…Boris please support Rishi (it’s now only between @RishiSunak and @PennyMordaunt and while I do love Penny ( she has the same birthday as me) it’s not her time either. So a coronation for Rishi pls …

— Lord Ashcroft (@LordAshcroft) October 22, 2022

Sunak could have more chances at not just becoming PM but reuniting the divided party. Johnson may beat the odds with his ties to grassroot members, who will end up having a final say in the election of the next PM. Nonetheless, his previous policies and neglect such as his Partygate scandal led to low support for the Tories in the polls and Truss dragged the results down even further to a record low.

As Badenoch became the most prominent member to advocate for Sunak, she has the potential to persuade and influence the votes of other MPs, particularly among those who backed Brexit. She called Sunak the “serious, honest leader we need,” in an article for the Sunday Times.

She wrote: “We are very different people with a difference in approach on numerous issues, but I believe he understands the necessity for unity and bringing others along on the journey before making difficult decisions,” 

The party has set a maximum of 100 MPs for candidates to get on the ballot paper, and there is currently a total of 357 MPs in the Tories party. The list will be boiled down to two rivals on the same day if there are three competitors who pass the threshold. If one candidate does not withdraw by Monday, grassroots members have until Friday to vote.