Johnson Strategist Seeks ‘Wobbly' Sunak Backers To Switch To Truss

A veteran political strategist who used to work for Boris Johnson has been phoning senior Conservatives currently supporting Rishi Sunak to persuade them to back Liz Truss to be prime minister.

- Pippa Crerar and Peter Walker

Mark Fullbrook, who ran the prime minister’s successful leadership bid in 2019, has been playing a key role in the foreign secretary’s bid to win over more high-profile Tory MPs.

Truss campaign sources confirmed that the senior aide had been having “long conversations” with high-profile potential switchers, and claimed that “more than one is wobbly” – but added that there were “not dozens” of MPs who were about to come over.

Tory sources told the Guardian that at least one senior minister who is currently backing Sunak was considering a public endorsement of Truss despite the contest only having two full weeks left to run.

The former chancellor topped the final round of the MP's vote with the backing of 137, while Truss came second with 113 votes, just beating Penny Mordaunt, an early favourite, who picked up 105 supporters. However, the polls have consistently suggested that the foreign secretary is well ahead among party members.

The Wales secretary, Sir Robert Buckland, last weekend became the first cabinet minister to publicly switch their endorsement for the Tory leadership from Sunak to Truss, citing her emphasis on the economy as a major reason for his defection.