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The Telegraph
The Telegraph
Politics
Mason Boycott-Owen

Who's backing whom in the Conservative leadership race?

tory leadership backers race replace boris johnson next prime minister rishi sunak liz truss penny mordaunt
tory leadership backers race replace boris johnson next prime minister rishi sunak liz truss penny mordaunt

The battle to select the final two candidates in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party - and Britain's new prime minister - is approaching its conclusion.

There are now only three candidates remaining - Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt - and the final two who will go head-to-head in the ballot of Tory Party members will be announced on Wednesday. 

Mr Sunak, the former chancellor whose resignation hastened the fall of Boris Johnson, is leading the pack with 118 backers.

He is followed by Penny Mordaunt, the international trade minister, on 92 backers, with Ms Truss, the Foreign Secretary, currently in last place on 86. 

Kemi Badenoch, the former equalities minister, was eliminated from the race on Tuesday after securing 59 votes in the fourth round ballot.

Here, The Telegraph takes a look at who is running, their campaign platforms, and their publicly declared backers:

Rishi Sunak - 118 backers

Why he is running: The former chancellor is pitching himself to the party and members as the serious candidate on the economy, who can guide the country through a potential recession by resisting calls for tax cuts. 

MPs publicly supporting him: Jeremy Hunt, Angela Richardson, Mark Harper, Jacob Young, Laura Trott, Sir Bob Neill, Mel Stride, Oliver Dowden, Paul Maynard, Liam Fox, John Glen, Mark Spencer, Claire Coutinho, Kevin Hollinrake, Robert Jenrick, Julie Marson, Bim Afolami, Louie French, Simon Jupp, Simon Hoare, Helen Whatley, Maria Caulfield, Fay Jones, Peter Gibson, Craig Williams, Robert Goodwill, James Cartlidge, Gareth Davies, Siobhan Bailie, Simon Hart, Rebecca Pow, Anthony Browne, Ruth Edwards, Greg Hands, Andrew Murrison, Gary Streeter, Laura Farris, Andrew Bowie, Andrew Jones, Alex Chalk, Victoria Prentis, Dominic Raab, Grant Shapps, Gillian Keegan, James Wild, Matt Hancock, Mark Menzies, Steve Barclay, Chris Skidmore, Stephen Crabb, Alun Cairns, Michael Ellis, Lucy Frazer, Gavin Williamson, Simon Baynes, Theresa Villiers, Richard Graham, Robert Buckland, Robert Halfon, David Rutley, Jeremy Quin, Nigel Huddleston, Will Quince, Richard Holden, Paul Howell, Andrew Mitchell, Huw Merriman, Jonathan Djanogly, Steve Brine, Robin Walker, Damian Hinds, Nick Gibb, Mark Pawsey, Marcus Jones, Rehman Chishti. 

Odds: 11/8

Penny Mordaunt - 92 backers

Why she is running: Ms Mordaunt is positioning herself as a unity, One Nation candidate, who casts aside the drama of personality politics to focus on patriotic government.

MPs publicly backing her: Nicola Richards, Caroline Dineage, John Lamont, Michael Fabricant, Andrea Leadsom, Kieran Mullan, Alicia Kearns, George Freeman, James Sunderland, Duncan Baker, Caroline Ansell, Sir Charles Walker, Craig Tracey, Damian Collins, Harriet Baldwin, James Gray, Elliot Colburn, Robbie Moore, Derek Thomas, Maria Miller, Theo Clarke, Sarah Atherton, Bob Seely, Kate Griffiths, David Davis, James Davies, Bob Stewart, Alberto Costa, John Penrose, John Baron, Jerome Mayhew, Caroline Nokes, Trudy Harrison, Luke Evans, Jill Mortimer, Mike Penning, Mims Davies, Damian Collins, Tobias Ellwood, Peter Aldous, Heather Wheeler, Gordon Henderson, Michelle Donelan, Jack Brereton, Antony Higginbotham, Jamie Wallis, Natalie Elphicke. 

Odds: 13/2

Liz Truss - 86 backers

Why she is running: Viewed as the Right’s main challenger to Mr Sunak, Ms Truss is marketing herself as a Thatcherite who promises tax cuts, foreign policy experience, and a track record of delivery.

MPs publicly backing her: Suella Braverman, Alec Shelbrooke, Chloe Smith, Dehenna Davison, Jackie Doyle-Price, Julian Knight, Rob Butler, Dean Russell, Marcus Fysh, Darren Henry, Ranil Jayawardena, Simon Clarke, Therese Coffey, Kwasi Kwarteng, Wendy Morton, Vicky Ford, James Cleverly, Nadine Dorries, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mark Pritchard, Paul Bristow, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Mark Francois, Iain Duncan Smith, Chris Loder, Laurence Robertson, Andrea Jenykns, Steve Baker, Tom Pursglove, Edward Argar, James Heappey, Suella Braverman, Graham Stuart, David Jones, Christopher Chope, Mark Jenkinson, Kevin Foster, Bill Cash, Chris Philp, John Redwood, James Grundy, Greg Smith, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Leo Docherty

Odds: Even

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