Penny Mordaunt likened herself to a rock star playing the Conservative Party's favourite tunes on Wednesday as she promised to turn the government's focus to core issues such as childcare and the economy after the endless scandal and chaos that brought down Boris Johnson.
Ms Mordaunt, one of eight candidates still standing in the race to be Britain's next prime minister, used her first major speech of the campaign to tell Tory MPs she was the person the opposition "fears the most", hours before they started voting in the first round of balloting.
"Recently, our party has lost its sense of self," said Ms Mordaunt, who is seen as a potential unity candidate after serving quietly as a junior minister under Mr Johnson without being too closely tied to his government or making enemies by rebelling against him.
She said: "If I can compare it to being in the Glastonbury audience, when Paul McCartney was playing his set - we indulged all those new tunes, but what we really wanted was the good old stuff that we all knew the words to: low tax, a small state, personal responsibility."
In other developments:
- Voting ended in the first round of balloting among Tory MPs, with results to be announced later;
- Early favourite Rishi Sunak said his economic policy would amount to “common-sense Thatcherism”;
- His camp denied claims that it was lending votes to less favoured candidates to muddy the contest's waters and give Mr Sunak an easier path to victory;
- Ms Mordaunt received a major boost from polling suggesting she would beat any of her rivals in a final-round vote, including Mr Sunak;
- Former soldier Tom Tugendhat said security should come before “bean counters and spreadsheets” in an apparent swipe at Mr Sunak’s caution on defence spending;
- Foreign Secretary Liz Truss won the backing of two prominent figures on the Tory right, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith and fervent Brexiteer Mark Francois;
- Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi acknowledged Mr Sunak was the front-runner but said he had a “fully costed” plan to cut taxes.
As Ms Mordaunt and her rivals including Ms sought to establish themselves as the main challenger to front-runner Mr, two candidates made a play to inherit the mantle of 1980s prime minister and conservative icon Margaret Thatcher.
Ms Mordaunt, a naval reservist, said watching as a child when British warships set off for the 1982 Falklands War was the moment that inspired her to serve her country and taught her: "My country stood up to bullies".
Meanwhile, Mr Sunak told the Daily Telegraph in his first campaign interview that his economic policies would amount to "common-sense Thatcherism", after critics accused him of presiding over an era of high taxes and spending.
"We will cut taxes and we will do it responsibly. That's my economic approach," he said. "I would describe it as common-sense Thatcherism. I believe that's what she would have done."
But Truss backer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said some candidates saw Thatcher's name as a "golden ticket" to the leadership, said Mr Sunak's record of raising taxes made him more akin to a left-wing chancellor.
Mr Sunak's resignation from government last week set in motion a mass frontbench mutiny that culminated in Mr Johnson announcing his resignation, triggering the two-month contest to replace him.
Mr Johnson's government announced a confidence vote in itself on Wednesday in a convoluted manoeuvre meant to ensure that he stays in office until a new leader is elected.
The first round of voting among Tory MPs, which was taking place on Wednesday afternoon, requires candidates to win at least 30 votes to progress. If everyone clears that hurdle, the lowest-ranked candidate will be knocked out.
The process will be repeated in successive votes over the coming week until only two remain, at which point the wider Conservative Party membership will be given the final word. A winner will be announced in early September.
As of Wednesday lunchtime, Mr Sunak had 43 MPs openly supporting him, compared to 24 for Ms Mordaunt and 21 for Ms Truss.
But many more have made their preference known in private. Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Nadhim Zahawi, Jeremy Hunt and Suella Braverman all put together the necessary 20 signatures to make the first ballot, despite not having that many public endorsements.
Former health secretary Sajid Javid and long-shot candidate Rehman Chishti dropped out of the race after failing to qualify for the first round, with Mr Chishti finding no known backers other than himself.
Ms Mordaunt joked that she had been "undertaking the parliamentary equivalent of speed dating" in recent days as she lobbied for support at Westminster.
She told colleagues a government led by her would have a "relentless focus" on lowering the cost of living, including by cutting VAT on fuel and raising income tax thresholds in line with inflation.
Her other ideas include creating flexible "childcare budgets" for parents with young children, creating pots of money for MPs to spend in their constituencies, setting up task forces to speed up healthcare and housebuilding, and bringing more private money into plans to "level up" the north of England.
She said she wanted to free up money for the armed forces by handing some of its duties to a civil defence force.
The British public are "capable and responsible people. They expect their government to be too," she said. "They expect us to deliver on both the mandate and the majority they handed us. I can, and we will."
UK Conservatives on the leadership campaign trail - in pictures
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Candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss at the Conservative Party leadership election hustings at Wembley Arena, London. This was the final hustings attended by Tory Party members who will vote for the new leader and next prime minister. EPA -
Liz Truss addresses Conservative Party members at Wembley Arena. AP -
Mr Sunak puts forward his case to be leader while speaking at Wembley Arena. Bloomberg -
Mr Sunak visits his family's old business, Bassett Pharmacy in Southampton, while on the campaign trail. Reuters -
Ms Truss speaks to staff at Condimentum Ltd at the Food Enterprise Park in Norwich. Getty Images -
A Rishi Sunak supporter at a hustings event in Norfolk. PA -
Mr Sunak greets people at a leadership hustings in Manchester. Bloomberg -
Ms Truss poses for a selfie with a supporter as she arrives for the event in Manchester. Getty -
Rishi Sunak looks through the sights of an anti-tank missile launcher, supplied to Ukraine, during a visit to the Thales Defence System plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland. AP -
Liz Truss at a Conservative Party leadership campaign event in Belfast. Getty -
Liz Truss meets supporters before a hustings in Perth, Scotland. Getty -
Rishi Sunak speaks during a campaign visit to Cluny Castle in Inverurie, Scotland. Getty -
Police hold back protesters outside Perth Concert Hall, Scotland, where Conservative leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were speaking. PA -
A mural showing the two leadership contestants appears on a wall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. AP -
Rishi Sunak during a visit to St John's Wood Synagogue, north London. PA -
Liz Truss at the Conservative Party leadership election hustings in Cheltenham. EPA -
Rishi Sunak during a hustings event in Cheltenham. Reuters -
Liz Truss speaks to scientists during a campaign visit to a life sciences laboratory at Alderley Park in Manchester. PA -
Rishi Sunak during a campaign hustings in Darlington, England. Bloomberg -
Liz Truss meets party members before she speaks at the Darlington campaign hustings. Getty -
Rishi Sunak arrives for the Darlington hustings. Getty -
Liz Truss plays pool during a visit to the Onside Future Youth Zone in London. Reuters -
Rishi Sunak looks at a book with Teddy Openshaw, 4, as his father, Henry, looks on after a Conservative leadership campaign event in Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. Getty -
Liz Truss plays table tennis with former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith during a visit to the Onside Future Youth Zone in London. Reuters -
Liz Truss with supporters at a campaign event in Solihull, England. Reuters -
Rishi Sunak attends a campaign event held by his party in Bexhill, England. Reuters -
A protester is removed as Ms Truss speaks during the Conservative Party leadership hustings in Eastbourne. Bloomberg -
Mr Sunak speaks at an event in Edinburgh. PA -
Ms Truss leaves the hall in Exeter, south-west England, after her speech to a Conservative Party membership hustings. Getty -
Mr Sunak speaks at the University of Exeter in south-west England. AP -
A supporter of Ms Truss at a Conservative Party hustings in Exeter, south-west England. Getty -
Ms Truss at a hustings event at the Pavilion conference centre at Elland Road in Leeds. PA -
Mr Sunak in Salisbury watching a screening of the Uefa Women's Euro 2022 final between England and Germany at Wembley stadium. England won 2-1 in extra time. PA -
Ms Truss before the Uefa Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley stadium in London. AFP -
Mr Sunak meets Tory members at Fontwell Park Racecourse. Reuters -
Ms Truss at an event in Dereham, Norfolk. AFP -
Mr Sunak in Ropley, near Winchester, Hampshire. PA -
Ms Truss speaks as Conservative Member of Parliament Tom Tugendhat looks on at a Conservative Party leadership campaign event at Biggin Hill Airport. Getty -
Ms Truss on the campaign trail in Woodford Green, on the outskirts of London. Reuters -
Mr Sunak at a Conservative Party hustings event in Leeds. AFP -
Ms Truss speaks at the hustings event in Leeds. AFP -
Sunak and Truss-themed souvenirs at a stand during the Leeds hustings event. Reuters -
Ms Truss, and her mother, Patricia, arrive for the hustings event. Getty -
Ms Truss poses with supporters in Morley, England. Getty -
Mr Sunak delivers a speech during a campaign event in Newmarket. AFP -
Ms Truss and Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, during a visit to a broadband interchange company in Leeds. PA -
Mr Sunak answers questions as he takes part in the hustings in Leeds. AFP -
Ms Truss speaks at an event at a private house with members of the Conservative Party in Woodford Green. PA -
Ms Truss and Mr Sunak pose for a picture before a BBC leadership debate at Victoria Hall in Hanley. Getty -
Ms Truss addresses Mr Sunak during the televised debate. Getty -
Mr Sunak, with daughters Krishna and Anushka, and wife Akshata Murthy, during a visit to Vaculug tyre specialists at Gonerby Hill Foot, Grantham. PA -
Ms Truss speaks to people while campaigning in Marden. Getty -
Ms Truss celebrates after being named, along with Mr Sunak, one of the final two candidates in the race to become the UK's next prime minister. PA -
Mr Sunak outside his campaign office in central London. EPA -
Ms Truss outside Downing Street in London. Reuters -
Rishi Sunak meets Conservative Party members and activists, in Teesport, Redcar. Reuters -
Conservative leadership candidates Mr Sunak, Ms Truss, Kemi Badenoch, presenter Julie Etchingham, Tom Tugendhat and Penny Mordaunt during 'Britain's Next Prime Minister: The ITV Debate' in London. EPA -
Ms Badenoch arrives at Here East studios in Stratford, east London, before a live television debate. PA -
Mr Sunak arrives at a London event to launch his campaign to be the next Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister. Reuters -
Mr Tugendhat appears on the BBC One current affairs programme, 'Sunday Morning'. PA -
Ms Badenoch, Ms Mordaunt, Mr Sunak, Ms Truss and Mr Tugendhat before the live television debate. PA -
Ms Mordaunt arrives for the launch of her Conservative leadership campaign at the Cinnamon Club in Westminster. PA -
Ms Truss speaks at the launch event for her campaign to become the next leader of the Tory Party and Britain's prime minister, in London. EPA -
Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, one of the candidates who has been knocked out of the race, giving a speech at the Churchill War Rooms. PA -
Former leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt appearing on the BBC One current affairs programme, 'Sunday Morning'. PA -
Sajid Javid attending the launch of his campaign to be Conservative Party leader and prime minister, at the Cinnamon Club in London. He has since been knocked out of the contest. PA -
Rehman Chishti is interviewed after announcing his bid to become the next prime minister. Mr Chishti is no longer in the race. Getty -
Mr Tugendhat speaking at the launch of his campaign. PA -
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith arrive for the Truss campaign launch event. Getty -
Former leadership candidate Attorney General Suella Braverman at the Churchill War Rooms in central London. PA -
Supporters of Mr Sunak wait for his arrival ahead of the campaign launch. Bloomberg -
Mr Tugendhat makes a speech at the launch of his campaign. PA -
Mr Javid mops his brow while launching his campaign. Getty -
Ms Truss leaves for work after her announcement that she would be running for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Getty
'Dirty tricks'
Nadine Dorries, a Cabinet minister and Johnson loyalist, accused Mr Sunak's team of playing "dirty tricks" by donating endorsements to Mr Hunt to keep him in the race.
"Team Rishi want the candidate they know they can definitely beat in the final two and that is Jeremy Hunt," she said.
Grant Shapps, who dropped out of the race and joined the Sunak campaign on Tuesday, denied those allegations and said an attempt to assist Mr Hunt "just didn't happen".
"Jeremy Hunt himself has said everybody on his nomination paper is somebody who is very close to his campaign," Mr Shapps told Sky News. "So even he has rubbished it."
Mr Zahawi said there was "no doubt" Mr Sunak was in the lead but said he could still make up ground on his rival as he touted his own record overseeing Britain's Covid-19 vaccination campaign.
"Rishi is out in the lead, no doubt, he is a very talented man," Mr Zahawi said. "But I think I can deliver. I am the man who has a track record of operational competence."
Conservative leadership candidates - in pictures
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Conservative Party members will chose between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak in the race to become Britain's next prime minister, after Penny Mordaunt was eliminated. PA -
Rishi Sunak — former chancellor who resigned from his position last week. In a slick campaign video he said the government could not afford to fool voters about the difficulties ahead with ‘comforting fairy tales’. Getty Images -
Liz Truss — the UK’s Foreign Secretary has pledged to start cutting taxes 'from day one' if she becomes prime minister, to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. She has also vowed to ‘take the vital steps necessary’ to protect the Good Friday Agreement. Getty Images -
OUT OF THE RACE: Penny Mordaunt — Brexit-backing Trade Minister has insisted the Conservative Party was elected to ‘deliver a manifesto’. She played a prominent role in the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum. Reuters -
OUT OF THE RACE: Kemi Badenoch — former equalities minister has promised 'limited government' and 'a focus on the essentials'. She has said Boris Johnson was 'a symptom of the problems we face, not the cause of them'. Photo: UK Parliament -
OUT OF THE RACE: Tom Tugendhat —Foreign Affairs Committee chairman and ‘Remainer’ aims to reverse the national insurance rise. He says the presence of Brexit party and Leave figures on his team is reassuring for Brexiteers. Reuters -
OUT OF THE RACE: Suella Braverman — current Attorney General has promised 'rapid and large tax cuts' to ease inflation. She has said the energy crisis means 'we must suspend the all-consuming desire to achieve net zero by 2050'. Reuters -
OUT OF THE RACE: Nadhim Zahawi — newly appointed Chancellor has promised to cut taxes and push ahead with the reforms he started in his previous role as education secretary, to ‘deliver a great education for every child’. PA -
OUT OF THE RACE: Jeremy Hunt — runner-up to Boris Johnson in the 2019 leadership race, who has pledged to slash corporation tax to 15 per cent. He has also promised to back the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill. AFP -
OUT OF THE RACE: Rehman Chishti — newly appointed Foreign Office minister had spoken of the importance of lower taxes and having a small state with a big society. 'It’s about aspirational conservatism, it’s about fresh ideas and then it comes down to having a fresh team.' Getty Images -
OUT OF THE RACE: Sajid Javid — experienced former health secretary had planned to scrap the government’s national insurance increase, bring forward the proposed 1p income tax cut to next year and introduce a further ‘significant’ temporary reduction on fuel duty. PA -
OUT OF THE RACE: Grant Shapps — the Transport Secretary had said on TV: 'I am interested in the bread-and-butter issues that your viewers will be thinking about every single day of the week.' AP
Jonathan Tonge, a professor of politics jokingly described as a mystic for his near-perfect prediction of a ballot on Mr Johnson's leadership last month, said he would give Mr Sunak a 51-49 chance of victory.
He told The Guardian that Conservative members might judge Mr Sunak the most plausible prime minister and could be less obsessed with tax cuts than many candidates seem to believe they are.
While some candidates have tried to outbid each other with promises to reduce taxes, Mr Sunak's warning against "comforting fairy tales" was taken as a dissenting note, although he later said tax cuts were a matter of "when, not if".
Candidates on the right were given a clearer run after Home Secretary Priti Patel, a hardliner on immigration, said she would not enter the contest.
She made no endorsement in the race, but Cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Mr Shapps came out for Mr Sunak, while Education Secretary James Cleverly backed Ms Truss.
