The Tory’s 2022 leadership contest entered its next phase yesterday as MPs eliminated ex-Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi from the race to succeed Boris Johnson. Rishi Sunak, who resigned from Number 11 last week, emerged as the frontrunner among Conservative colleagues after 88 MPs voted for the Brexit-backed Richmond MP.
Penny Mordaunt, who played a pivotal role in the Vote Leave campaign in 2016, finished in second place with 67 supporters.
The result of the first ballot also meant that four of the six remaining candidates voted for the UK to leave the European Union, with only Tom Tugendhat and Liz Truss voting for Remain in 2016.
Supporters of both Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt, however, have been happy to highlight their respective Brexit references.
Mordaunt supporter Derek Thomas suggested the Commerce Secretary’s conviction will help the UK take full advantage of Brexit.
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The St Ives MP told express.co.uk: “She [Ms Mordaunt] has the conviction, strength of character and vision to bring the country together.
“I believe she is the best candidate to deliver on the government’s promises to level up and take full advantage of Brexit, and to address the immediate cost of living crisis.”
Mr Sunak, who also campaigned to leave the EU, got a boost from a former cabinet minister.
According to the BBC’s Nicholas Watt, Theresa Villiers said: “I am a Brexit Spartan. Brexit is safe in Rishi’s hands.”
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Mr Sunak also gained the support of Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab for his Brexit credentials at his leadership launch earlier this week.
Mr Raab said: “I remember when we had the referendum in 2016, he was one of the first to come out of the trap – as a young new MP, a backbencher – with all the pressure that was on him at the time, and he He immediately put his colors on the mast and not only that, he immediately started thinking about how we could seize the opportunities of Brexit.”
Despite both support for Brexit, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss appears to have won the core of the European Research Group’s vote, with Jacob Rees-Mogg, ERG chairman Mark Francois and ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan-Smith among hers. 50 donors.
An ally of Mrs. Truss told express.co.uk: “Her no-nonsense focus on delivering that dynamic will inspire confidence and create more jobs and opportunities.
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