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Liz Truss wins backing of former Tory leadership rival Penny Mordaunt | Politics News


Former Tory leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt has backed Liz Truss in the run for prime minister, a blow to Rishi Sunak.

Ms Mordaunt declared her support for the foreign secretary as she introduced her at the latest Conservative leadership conference in Exeter, declaring Ms Truss a “candidate of hope” who “knows what she believes in”. .

She added that Ms Truss would “thwart our opponents”.

Political center: Live update when Truss and Sunak go head to head again

Miss Mordaunt was the last candidate to be eliminated from the competition Last month in the fifth round of voting, which pitted Ms Truss and Mr Sunak over Conservative votes.

The Secretary of Commerce and the former Secretary of Defense placed second in all previous rounds of voting, but rose late by Ms. Truss – who gained 27 votes in 24 hours – won her a spot on the ballot, with only eight votes separating them.

Addressing the audience, Ms Mordaunt said: “This is not just about one person.

“This is about all of us, and I know it’s not easy, you feel a huge responsibility. Me too.

“I’m afraid that’s the price of democracy. If we make the wrong decision, we will change the country.

“We could lose an election and everything we worked for would be gone. That’s why this is so important – why you feel that responsibility.”

She added: “I may still be undeclared, I could stop sipping pina coladas right now, but I’m not, I’m here with you because this is so important.

“And I’m not going to leave this to chance, and neither should you. I finished third in this competition, and I owe it to you all to be a signpost, not a weather car.

“And so I made my choice – I know it’s hard because I like both candidates.

“I want to say good things about both of you, that’s probably why I finished third.

“I’ve seen enough to know who I would put my trust in. And that’s Liz Truss.”

As she stepped onto the stage, Ms. Truss thanked Ms. Mordaunt for her support.

“It’s been great to have Penny Mordaunt’s support,” she said.

“She was a great person, a great politician and a great patriot – and I am proud to call her my friend.”

Mordaunt’s endorsement of Truss is a crushing blow for Sunak


Jon Craig - Chief Political Correspondent

Jon Craig

Chief Political Correspondent

@joncraig

It’s the endorsement that both contenders desperately want in the battle for the Tory crown. Likely the biggest vote winner to date, claims Liz Truss.

Penny Mordaunt finished second behind Rishi Sunak in all but the last round of MPs’ voting, before being overtaken by Liz Truss in an intense 11-hour standoff.

In the first round, she won 67 votes to 50 for Ms Truss, in the second round 83-64, in the third round 82-71 and in the fourth round 92-86, before she ended up voting only 105 to 113 for Ms Truss.

Now, in a shocking move following the terrible bloodshed between their two factions in a vote of MPs, the former shaman’s aide has sown her steadfastness into the Liz Truss campaign.

In a beautiful play at the Tory Party compound at the University of Exeter, she climbed to the top of the Truss gang and almost certainly landed herself a cabinet job if the foreign minister beat Mr. Sunak.

Skeptics would argue that Mrs Mordaunt’s endorsement of Ms Truss would have carried more weight had it come sooner.

But the timing – the day’s ballots were sent to party members – was ideal for Ms. Truss and a blow to Mr. Sunak.

Former leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat also endorsed Ms Truss last week.

Writing in The Times, Mr Tugendhat said that the country’s foreign minister’s promises of tax cuts were based on “real Conservative principles” and that she could unite the party.

He said: “Liz has always supported British values ​​at home and abroad. With her leadership, I have no doubt that we will be determined to make this country safer and more secure. “

Mr Sunak was initially the lead in the race, winning the most support from MPs in the first few rounds of voting.

But polls show Ms Truss more popular with party members who will ultimately decide who will be the next leader and prime minister.

Voting by members will end on September 2 and whoever is named the winner on September 5 is expected to replace Mr Johnson as prime minister the next day.





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