Nearly one in four people believe Rishi Sunak has won the second Tory leadership debate, a snap poll has found.
About 24 percent of those polled by the Opinium poll thought the former chancellor performed best, followed by Tom Tugendhat at 19 percent.
Kemi Badenoch is the worst performer according to the poll with 12 percent of the vote.
Penny Mordaunt was third with 17 percent of the vote, followed by Liz Truss with 15 percent.
The five candidates clashed over taxes, Brexit and their upbringings during tonight’s heated televised debate on ITV.
The candidates clashed over taxes, Brexit and their upbringings during the televised debate on ITV
(Jonathan Hordle/ITV/EPA)
Liz Truss has launched a series of attacks on Rishi Sunak – suggesting he has no plan for growth and is responsible for putting Britain on the path to recession.
“Rishi, you have raised taxes to the highest levels in 70 years. It will not stimulate economic growth,” she said. Ms Truss added: “If he has a growth plan, why haven’t we seen it in the last two years?”
Mr Sunak replied: “I’d like to stand here and say, ‘I’m going to cut this tax, I’m going to cut this tax and everything will be fine.’ But you know what? I will not… This economy is not conservative at all – it is socialism.”
Among the promises he made, Mr Sunak said he would bring honesty to the role of Prime Minister.
He said in the ITV debate: “I want to be honest with the country about the economic challenge we face and what it will take to deal with it.
“And it’s not politically comfortable for me, not just to say the easy stuff, but I think it demonstrates to people that I’m going to be honest with them about what’s coming and I’m going to be responsible in dealing with it, even if it’s not politically easy.”
None of the Tory leadership candidates have said they would give Boris Johnson a cabinet job if they become prime minister, and all five have ruled out calling a snap general election if they win the race and enter No.10.
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