Rishi Sunak on the verge of securing a place in the second round for the British Prime Minister

LONDON — The competition to find a new British prime minister takes an unusual twist: Tory lawmakers coalesce behind the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunaka candidate that most party members do not seem to like.

On Tuesday, Mr Sunak came close to getting enough Tory lawmakers to back him in the next round of the contest, where he and another opponent will tour Britain to woo 150,000 Conservative Party members. These members vote to choose the next Prime Minister, with a winner announced on September 5.