The race to replace Boris Johnson is nearing its end with the new leader set to be announced at the start of next week. Voting is set to close in the Conservative leadership contest at 5pm on Friday (September 2).
Though voting has closed, the result - whether it is Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak - will not be announced until Monday (September 5), the date Parliament returns from recess. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench MPs, will make the announcement but the exact time is not yet known.
The new leader is expected to make a speech following the announcement and then spend the rest of the day finalising their choices for Cabinet and wider ministerial roles and writing their first prime ministerial speech. Mr Johnson and his successor will then go to Balmoral rather than Buckingham Palace for the appointment of the new prime minister, in a break from tradition. They made their final leadership pitches to Conservative members at a leadership hustings in London on Wednesday, with the debate dominated by the rising cost of living.
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Frontrunner Ms Truss claimed there would be no new taxes or energy rationing if she became prime minister, and dropped further hints about cost-of-living support this winter. "I will also deliver immediate support to ensure people are not facing unaffordable fuel bills. I will be robust in my approach," she said.
"But it isn't right to announce my entire plan before I have even won the leadership and got my feet under the table."
Mr Sunak has sought to portray himself as the candidate with a more realistic assessment about the way to approach the economy, with tax cuts not expected immediately if he becomes leader. He told the audience at the final hustings that "we shouldn't rule anything out" on energy rationing, and has previously said it would not be "moral" to leave struggling households without extra support this winter.
The leadership contest has been characterised by infighting among Conservative MPs, with blue-on-blue attacks continuing up until the final days. On Thursday, Conservative former minister Michael Gove, who is backing Mr Sunak, described his rival Ms Truss' pledge to not introduce new taxes as "foolish".
But a Tory former chief whip said it was still possible for the party to reunite without damage following the contest. Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper said: "Whoever wins this and gets elected as leader on Monday is going to have to behave in a way that enables the party to come back together."
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