Which Conservatives could succeed UK's Johnson if he falls?

LONDON (AP) — With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson dealt a heavy blow after surviving a no-confidence vote from his own Conservative Party, questions already are being asked about who might succeed him if he was forced from office.

Conservative lawmakers voted 211-148 to keep Johnson as leader Monday following revelations that he and his staff held Downing Street parties that broke Britain's COVID-19 lockdown rules. But the scale of the revolt was considered more damaging than expected.

Although the leadership rules give Johnson a year’s respite from another such vote, he faces other risks.

Party rebels could change the rules to force an early vote; he could be seen as a political liability if Conservatives lose special elections this month; he could be forced out if an ethics committee finds he lied to Parliament over the “partygate” scandal; or he could simply get fed up and quit.

That would trigger a leadership contest to choose his replacement. While there is no single front-runner, here is a look at some possible contenders:

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LIZ TRUSS, FOREIGN SECRETARY

Truss, 46, took on the high-profile Cabinet post in September after serving as trade minister. She has been gaining momentum as a contender since then and has made no secret of her ambitions.

As Britain's chief diplomat in the Ukraine crisis, Truss got a frosty reception from her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to Moscow's Feb. 24 invasion.

She is also the U.K.’s lead negotiator with the European Union on lingering issues following Britain’s exit from the bloc. Once a campaigner for remaining in the EU, Truss has become a Brexit champion. Her former role as international trade secretary saw her signing post-Brexit deals around the world and channeling Johnson’s ambitions for “Global Britain.”

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