RISHI Sunak yesterday warned squabbling Tories it was time for “a grown up conversation” as he powered ahead in the race to be the next PM.
Throwing down the gauntlet to his remaining rivals, Mr Sunak said: “Do you have a credible plan to protect our economy and get it growing?”
Rishi Sunak has 46 declared supporters and is 13/8 to be the next PM
Penny Mordaunt is one of Sunak’s closest rivals and bookmakers have her at 2/1 for the top job
Jeremy Hunt is 50/1 to be the next leader
And in a bid to patch up relations with Boris Johnson, he also said he would play no part in demonising the outgoing-PM.
The ex-Chancellor had the public support of almost twice as many MPs as his nearest rival.
He was one of eight candidates who made it to the first round of voting, which begins tonight.
Amid yet more claims of dirty tricks, Priti Patel, Grant Shapps and Sajid Javid all crashed out of the race after failing to secure the required 20 signatures from Tory MPs to become official candidates.
Tonight, any candidate receiving fewer than 30 votes from the 358 Tory MPs will be eliminated in this first round.
If all candidates reach that number, the one with the fewest votes will be eliminated.
Rishi’s closest rivals when nominations closed yesterday were Penny Mordaunt, Kemi Badenoch and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Moderates Jeremy Hunt and Tom Tugendhat were some way behind with around 25 backers each.
New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Brexit hardliner Suella Braverman only just scraped on to the ballot
In a day of extraordinary Westminster horse trading, Cabinet big beasts split between Mr Sunak and Ms Truss as both sides traded blows in a bitter blue-on-blue.
Mr Shapps pulled out of the race and gave his support to Mr Sunak, introducing him at his campaign launch alongside Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab.
Mr Raab said: “While others talk the talk, Rishi this month delivered the biggest tax cut for working people in a decade. He did it because he is a true Conservative.”
But Boris-loyalists Nadine Dorries, Jacob-Rees Mogg and James Cleverly said Ms Truss was the one to keep BoJo’s flame alive.
Ms Truss is seen as a “stop Sunak” candidate by many on the Tory right, who are angered by his high-tax, high-spend policy during the pandemic.
But Mr Sunak hit back saying: “We need to have a grown up conversation about the central policy question that all candidates have to answer in this election.
“My message to the party and the country is simply, I have a plan to steer our economy through these headwinds. We need a return to traditional Conservative economic values and that means honesty and responsibility, not fairytales.
“It is not credible to promise lots more spending and lower taxes.
“I had to make some of the most difficult choices of my life as Chancellor, in particular how to deal with our debt and borrowing after Covid.
“I have never hidden away from those. I certainly won’t pretend now the choices I made and the things I voted for were somehow not necessary.”
Mr Sunak also tried to smooth over claims he stabbed Boris in the back.
He said: “I will have no part in a rewriting of history that seeks to demonise Boris, exaggerate his faults or deny his efforts.
“I am running a positive campaign focused on what my leadership can offer our party and our country. I will not engage in the negativity you have seen and read in the media. If others wish to do that, then let them.
“That is not who we are. We can be better than that.”
But an ally of Ms Truss said Rishi’s slick campaign will unravel over his past tax affairs and green card.
Elsewhere, other rival camps accused each other of dirty tricks.
Ex-Chief Whip Gavin Williamson was accused of lending votes to Jeremy Hunt to keep the field wide open.
Ms Dorries said: “This is dirty tricks/a stitch-up/dark arts. Take your pick.
“Team Rishi want the candidate they know they can definitely beat in the final two and that is Jeremy Hunt.”
But sources close to Mr Williamson and Mr Hunt denied the claim.
Meanwhile, former Army officer Tom Tugendhat said he would cut fuel duty by another 10p and vowed to shower the North with cash in a bid to woo Red Wall Boris-backers.
In a speech littered with military analogies, he took aim at his colleagues for “retreating when our service is most needed” and hit out at Boris for partying during Covid.
Rising star Kemi Badenoch is 10/1 to be the next Tory leader
Liz Truss is seen as a ‘stop Sunak’ candidate and is 3/1 to lead the party
Suella Braverman only just scraped on to the ballot and is 50/1 to replace Boris
Tom Tugendhat said he would cut fuel duty by another 10p and vowed to shower the North with cash
New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi is 50/1
