2023 Conservative Party Leadership Election (MBGA Scenario)

The August 2023 Conservative Party leadership election was held on August 11, 2023 to elect the next leader of the Conservative Party. It was triggered by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was the mastermind of a plan to return and oust Sunak as the incumbent leader.

During the September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak announced their campaigns, while Johnson formed an exploratory committee and formally took interest in the race as a way to return to power. However, several MPs were not willing to support his run for the leadership due to previous scandals related to his figure, including Partygate and since then the popularity of Conservatives began to shrink, and this trend lasted until September 2023, one year later. In the race, Liz Truss was declared the winner after gaining the upper hand in the popular vote, with party members directly electing a Prime Minister. Several external observers marked this period as a "closed democracy" where only a few people tied to a party membership selected the country leader. However, after several u-turns, a failing economic policy and internal turmoil, Truss resigned just after one month, dangerously bringing the Conservatives to a point of no-return in terms of popularity. In October, Sunak was elected as leader and quickly sought to reconstruct the party and lead the country's economic advancements. Unpopularity with the new government and popular discontent continued, even after Sunak announced the introduction of small educative adjustments which included difficult curriculums.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson planned his return to power throughout the Sunak ministry difficulties. Knowing that he could not win MPs support to even launch his candidacy, he opted to wait until late 2023 to make a move. On May, in an interview, he stated that the September-October election was a "direct coup organized by bad elements", a direct reference to government officials who resigned and MPs who did not back him. In July, sources stated that Johnson obtained enough support to organize a full move and strike with two options; through a motion of no confidence or by challenging Sunak. Johnson selected the latter as the 1922 Committee declared his request "acceptable" and filled it through the Central Office of the Conservative Party. The first MP ballot was scheduled for 1 August, where Sunak showed a majority but then his support began to fade and more MPs joined Johnson as for many he was the only hope to restore the dignity of the party and regain popular support. On 11 August, members were invited to vote and he obtained almost 100.000 votes.

Johnson was declared the winner on August 12, and was invited by the King to guide the government on August 13 with the third Johnson ministry.