Liz Truss on course to make Tory leadership final two as she closes in on Penny Mordaunt

 Momentum is behind the Foreign Secretary as she pushes to win over supporters of the ousted Kemi Badenoch

Source - Daily Telegraph 19/07/22

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Liz Truss has moved into prime position to reach the final two in the Tory leadership contest after closing the gap on Penny Mordaunt.

On Tuesday night, the Foreign Secretary was trying to win over supporters of Kemi Badenoch, her main rival on the Right of the party, who was knocked out of the race.

In an article for The Telegraph, Ms Truss hints at possible jobs to come for newer Tory MPs such as Ms Badenoch as she promises a “government of all the talents”. 

She writes: “As Prime Minister, I would unite the party and lead a government of all the talents that includes the best and brightest from across the Conservatives."

Ms Truss picked up 15 extra votes from Tory MPs in the fourth round of the contest on Tuesday, putting her on 86 votes, just six short of Ms Mordaunt, the trade minister, on 92. She had been 11 votes behind.

Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, received 118 votes and seems all but certain to reach the final two.

Despite Ms Truss's momentum, on Tuesday night Ms Mordaunt’s backers were insisting that she had the charisma and connection with the Tory grassroots to see her into the run-off to succeed Boris Johnson.

Today the final round of voting among Tory MPs will take place, with the worst performing of the three candidates knocked out. The result will be announced at 4pm.

On Tuesday night the scramble to win over the 59 Tory MPs who voted for Mrs Badenoch was already under way.

Ms Badenoch has been critical of Ms Mordaunt’s stance on gender rights, leaving some to conclude Ms Truss is best placed to pick up her backers.

However, figures close to the former communities minister and Michael Gove, the former communities secretary who is her most prominent backer, said neither were expected to announce an endorsement before the last vote.

A source close to Ms Badenoch said “rushing to endorse people is a fool’s errand”, while an ally of Mr Gove said he would “take some time to decide” on who to back.

Figures on all three campaigns were said to be trying hard to persuade Ms Badenoch’s supporters, some of whom have already announced for different candidates.

'Unite the party'

Given the ballot is secret, there has been speculation that backers of Mr Sunak could try to influence who he would face by voting for the perceived weaker of his two rivals.

Sunak campaign figures insisted on Tuesday night they were fighting for “every vote” and discouraging such behaviour, but did not rule out individual MPs independently making such decisions.

Ms Truss spells out her final pitch to the party and the country in her article for The Telegraph, issuing a “unity” message that she hopes can get her over the line.

In an olive brand to Ms Badenoch’s camp, she writes: “The quality of candidates that have taken part in this leadership race reflects how healthy our party is and how alive with ideas it remains. If I am selected as leader, I will not let my colleagues down and I will not let the country down. Now is the time to unite.”

Meanwhile, Ms Mordaunt announced new policies, including a push to solve Britain’s dentist shortage by allowing more overseas workers to fill the gaps, to broaden her vision for the country.

A six-week summer campaign beckons for the final two, with the next Tory leader and prime minister announced on Sept 5.