The three frontrunners in the Tory leadership race were locked in a fierce battle today over who has the top-level experience to be the next Prime Minister.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss officially launched her leadership bid and ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak took to the airwaves after former international development secretary Penny Mordaunt was seen at Westminster to have gained early momentum.
She came second in the first round of voting, with the backing of 67 MPs, after a widely-praised launch and a poll which showed she would beat the other two in the vote among party members.
But Ms Mordaunt has less experience at the Government top table and her rivals were seeking to exploit this as the leadership race heated up.
She was also hit by ferocious attacks by hardline Brexiteers, who claimed she was not up to the job of PM, but responded by defiantly tweeting: “The March of Mordaunt!”
The Tory infighting erupted ahead of the second round of voting around lunchtime today.
At her launch in central London this morning, Ms Truss highlighted the string of Cabinet posts that she has held, saying: “I am ready to be Prime Minister from day one.”
She stressed that as Foreign Secretary she had “stood up” to Vladimir Putin, as International Trade Secretary had “struck dozens of new deals with major partners” and as Chief Secretary to the Treasury had a “firm grip on the nation’s finances”.
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2022-utgaven av Evening Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2022-utgaven av Evening Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Only £65k a month to live like Boy George
The Karma Chameleon singer listed his house for £17m in 2022, turning down offers. Now, he's looking for a tenant
Welcome to London, unicorn capital of Europe
We're flying far ahead of anywhere outside US for tech investment
Arteta's Arsenal evolution The next phase
Malik Ouzia and Simon Collings assess how the Spaniard will try to bring down Man City after he signs up for another three years with the title in his sights
Title fight catches fire after Gunners embrace dark side
Arsenal-City clashes take on a welcome edge of animosity
Whack the hippy gong-boho's back
It happened in Paris one grey February day. Sienna Miller was in an oversized, black leather jacket, lace-trimmed silk slip and clumpy great wedges.
There's a Starlink waiting in the sky... 7,000 in fact.Can Elon Musk stop them crashing to Earth?
As he was preparing his fields for seeding this year, Barry Sawchuk came across a giant slab of space debris. It had come from a spacecraft belonging to Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX.
'Politicians are only into power-mongering, corruption and cronyism'
We speak to alt revolutionary DEEPAK CHOPRA about biomarkers, his digital twin and his work to save humanity from disease
I've been waiting for a production of Godotthis brilliant all my life
Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati bring a potent, tragicomic chemistry to James Macdonald’s rich revival of Samuel Beckett’s challenging play.
Trust me, the Ritz is London's bestrestaurant
To whom we turn in moments of gloom and glory can be instructive, a filter of our truest friends. I've fallen out with the Ritz a couple of times, including once after a visit to the bar which didn’t warrant a review (“But you said it was lovely!” they said.
'Healing is a dirty word'
After four traumatic years, FKA twigs is back with a new album -and a thrilling metamorphosis