UK's Truss under pressure as Tories gird for TV battle

LONDON • British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss's camp has urged Conservative right-wingers to unite behind her lagging leadership campaign, as the five remaining contenders headed into the first television debate.

Ms Truss came third in the latest ballot of Tory MPs on Thursday, in a process designed to whittle the race next week down to two finalists, who will then present their case to the party's rank-and-file members next month.

Former finance minister Rishi Sunak again came first, followed by Ms Penny Mordaunt, the surprise package of the race.

The Royal Navy reservist, who was briefly Britain's first woman defence secretary, polls well with the members but is now under scathing attack for her inexperience, stance on transgender rights and alleged incompetence in government jobs.

Speaking on Sky News, long-shot candidate Tom Tugendhat decried the worsening acrimony as "a knife fight in a phone box", calling for the party to focus instead on governing and taking the fight to the opposition Labour party.

Ms Truss has backing from prominent loyalists of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was forced last week to announce his resignation as Tory leader in the face of a Cabinet insurrection led partly by Mr Sunak, following months of scandal.

While Mr Johnson says he will stay above the fray, his supporters have spoken acidly against Mr Sunak, and point to Ms Truss as the most experienced contender left from the party's right wing.

But she now faces a challenge from Ms Mordaunt just to reach the final two.

Attorney-General Suella Braverman was eliminated on Thursday and threw her support behind Ms Truss, accusing Ms Mordaunt of failing to "stand up for women".

Former Brexit minister David Frost wrote in The Daily Telegraph that Ms Mordaunt had been "absent on parade" when they worked together on negotiations with Brussels last year.

"It is now time for pragmatism," he said, urging fourth-placed candidate Kemi Badenoch "to stand down in return for a serious job in a Truss administration".

Like Mr Tugendhat, Ms Badenoch is another insurgent with no Cabinet experience, but is drawing favourable coverage from some right-wing commentators for her "anti-woke" credentials and innovative policy platform. Rejecting Mr Frost's appeal, her campaign said she was "in it to win".

Ms Mordaunt meanwhile pushed back at Mr Frost's attacks, condemning "black ops" from rival camps.

"Anyone going for this job needs to be tested and scrutinised," she told Sky News yesterday, while adding: "People obviously are trying to stop me getting into the final, because they don't want to run against me."

Yesterday evening's debate was being hosted by Britain's Channel 4 - a state-owned network known for its edgy programming, which Mr Johnson's government is seeking controversially to privatise.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE