Tory spats

The contest has grown hostile, with the debate on Sunday at times descending into clashes over the government’s handling of the economy, and promises of tax cuts that even some Tories have slammed as being unrealistic.

It was exactly what the Conservative Party was trying to avoid when it announced an accelerated contest. On Monday, Sky News said it would cancel its debate after Sunak and Truss pulled out.

Sunak and Mordaunt have borne the brunt of the attacks from rival campaigns, with Truss accusing Sunak of choking off growth as chancellor by raising the UK tax burden to its highest level in 70 years.

Decades of Networking Have Put Penny Mordaunt in Reach of Power

Backers of Truss have also taken aim at Mordaunt, whose momentum surprised the foreign secretary’s camp. Amid attacks, including from former Brexit negotiator David Frost and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke, Mordaunt has urged a more measured approach – while pointedly saying she would be open to taking part in televised events as her rivals backed out.

Earlier on Monday, Mordaunt’s boss, International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, accused the junior minister of spending some of her time over the past few months preparing her leadership campaign.

“There have been a number of a number of times when she hasn’t been available, which would have been useful, and other ministers have picked up the pieces,” Trevelyan, a Tugendhat supporter, told LBC Radio.

In the coming ballots, Mordaunt will want a good proportion of Tugendhat’s votes to clinch the second spot, while Truss knows her best chance is taking Badenoch’s backers if she’s knocked out in Tuesday’s round.

(Reporting by Ellen Milligan.)