London, July 10 : Sajid Javid, who became the first cabinet minister to resign over questions of integrity and honesty of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on Sunday announced his bid to join the race to become the next prime minister of Great Britain, joining eight others in the race, including former chancellor Rishi Sunak, Khaleej Times reported.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss is also expected to announce her candidature either later on Sunday or on Monday. The nine candidates who are in the fray as of Sunday evening were: Javid, Sunak, Suella Braverman, Grant Shapps, Tom Tugendhat, Nadhim Zahawi, Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt and Kemi Badenoch.

Five of the nine candidates belong to minority communities, which has been welcomed by diversity campaigners, thus increasing the real possibility of the United Kingdom getting its first prime minister from a minority community. Political commentators noted, that it was the Conservative party gave Britain its first woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.(UNI)