Tory leadership: Sunak and Truss begin pitch to be next PM

The two candidates in the Conservative leadership race are setting out their pitches to the party members who will choose Boris Johnson’s successor.

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss topped the final ballot of MPs on Wednesday.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Sunak said he would introduce “a set of reforms as radical as the ones Margaret Thatcher drove through in the 1980s”.

In the Daily Mail, Ms Truss promised “tax-cutting, enterprise-boosting, business-friendly Conservative policy”.

The pair emerged as the final candidates after Ms Truss overturned a narrow lead held by Trade minister Penny Mordaunt, at one point the favourite, to secure the backing of 113 Tory MPs to Ms Mordaunt’s 105.

Former Chancellor Mr Sunak, who consistently led among MPs, topped the ballot with 137 votes. Polls suggest he is less popular among the Conservative Party membership who will vote for their preferred candidate next month.

The two finalists will now set out their stalls at 12 hustings to be held around the UK. The first will take place in Leeds on 28 July, while the last will be in London on 31 August.