iz Truss has downplayed claims she has a clear edge over rival Rishi Sunakeven though her campaign was further bolstered by endorsements from party heavyweights over a crunch weekend in the No. 10 race.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted it was a “very, very close race”, while shouting out her “support from all parts of the Conservative Party” after getting the support of Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat.
Sunak, who has consistently pursued Ms Truss in party member polls, faces an uphill battle to win them over before the ballots begin to land on their doorsteps next week.
This is a very, very close race and I’m fighting for every vote
Both contenders continue to fly across the country to meet with voters, with Mr Sunak tweeting photos of himself with supporters in key southern constituencies with the caption: “Busy Saturday with hundreds of members. Wouldn’t want it any other way!”
His latest plans in a policy blitz designed to revive his flag campaign included reducing the number of shuttered shops on Britain’s main streets, tougher penalties for graffiti and litter, and expanding police powers to prevent anti-social address behavior.
Sunak also told The Sunday Telegraph he would impose a £10 fine on patients who miss GP and hospital appointments as part of a “transformative” overhaul of the NHS.
The former chancellor also admitted to the paper that he is “playing catch-up” against Ms. Truss as he seemingly wanted to claim coveted underdog status.
The 42-year-old hinted at the ramifications of his wife’s tax status when he appeared to suggest that a commentary claimed he “wouldn’t even have entered this competition” had she not announced that she had decided to pay UK tax on her. foreign earnings to be paid while he was chancellor in April.
He previously attacked ‘woke nonsense’ in a speech in West Sussex, in an apparent attempt to outdo Ms Truss on so-called culture war issues that invoke party right.
In hardened rhetoric, he vowed to prevent “left-wing agitators” from “bulldoing our history, our traditions and our fundamental values.”
But the former chancellor was dealt a blow by allegations that he blocked attempts to break the Brexit deadlock with the European Union.
The attack came from Ex-Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewiswho expressed his support for Ms Truss and said he trusts her more to achieve a swift return to power-sharing in Northern Ireland if she becomes Prime Minister.
Ms Truss’s approval by the former cabinet minister followed that of senior Tories Mr Tugendhat and Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace.
Criticism of his fellow Tories also came from Lord Forsyth, who served as a minister under Margaret Thatcher and Sir John Major.
The former minister accused Mr Sunak of a “tendency to be driven by the orthodoxy of the treasury” and of delivering “impressive and polished technical feats” but lacking “empathy, foresight and vision”.
Lord Forsyth added: “Conservatives believe in sound money, encouraging small businesses and lower, fairer, flatter and simpler taxes. I’m not sure if Rishi fully understands that.”
During a campaign stop in Bromley, the Secretary of State was asked whether her advantage over Mr Sunak in member surveys meant she could lose the match.
She told reporters, “This is a very, very close race and I’m fighting for every vote.”
She said she was “absolutely delighted” with Tugendhat’s support, but described it as “extremely premature” to say whether she would appoint him foreign minister, a job Tugendhat said he hoped to get, insisting that him “nothing was promised”.
Ms Truss said: “He is a very, very talented person and I am very grateful to have the support of all parts of the Conservative Party as we need to reunite after this leadership election.”
Her latest policy announcements included a six-point education plan, in which she promised that students with the best A grades would be automatically invited to apply to Oxbridge and other prestigious universities.
She called herself the “Prime Minister of Education” and also vowed to replace failing academies with “a new wave of free schools” and improve math and literacy standards.
Ms Truss also told The Telegraph that there would be no second referendum on Scottish independence “on my guard”, with her rejection appearing to go beyond Boris Johnson’s claim that now was “not the right time”.
Both candidates to succeed Mr Johnson also pledged to “defend the rural way of life” in pitches to conservative voters in rural areas.
While a BMG Research poll of party allegiances for i-newspaper was the latest to put Ms Truss ahead of Mr Sunak by a two-digit lead, a poll of Tory councilors saw the two contenders almost neck and neck.
Ms Truss sat at 31% and Mr Sunak at 28% among the 511 local conservative politicians polled by Savanta ComRes, figures that may offer the ex-chancellor’s campaign some hope.
Mr Tugendhat, who joined Ms Truss at her campaign event at Biggin Hill Airport, rejected the idea that Mr Sunak should drop out of the race.
“No, he should not resign,” said Mr Tugendhat, who was recently eliminated from the competition himself.
“He would have to compete and challenge to win the votes and support of members across the UK and I’m sure he will.”