More moderate Tories are endorsing the frontrunner in the leadership race in order to be on the winning side. They will not have much influence
There are no prizes for working out why Sajid Javid has just become the latest senior Conservative to endorse Liz Truss in the party leadership contest against Rishi Sunak. Mr Javid is backing Ms Truss because he thinks she is going to win. He wants his slice of the ministerial action if she does. He has therefore put his earlier alliance with Mr Sunak against Boris Johnson’s leadership aside. It is as simple as that.
By doing this, the former health secretary and chancellor has joined the list of prominent Tories who have decided which way the wind is blowing and backed Ms Truss, even though they do not particularly share her politics. Besides Mr Javid, that list now includes the trade minister Penny Mordaunt and the one nation Tory Tom Tugendhat, both of whom are relative moderates who ran for the leadership, as well as Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, whom many wanted to run and who still tops internal polls of ministerial popularity. All of them, it is clear, are hoping for good jobs in a Truss cabinet.
