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RACE FOR THE PREM

Battle is on to be next PM with Rishi Sunak & Liz Truss among contenders – and there’s a surprise frontrunner

BEN Wallace and Rishi Sunak have emerged as early frontrunners to be next PM as Britain braces itself for an intense Tory leadership contest.

At least ten candidates are likely to join the race for the top job, with jostling for position underway within minutes of the PM’s resignation.

At least ten candidates are likely to join the race to be become the next PM, as Britain braces itself for an intense Tory leadership contest
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At least ten candidates are likely to join the race to be become the next PM, as Britain braces itself for an intense Tory leadership contestCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

BEN WALLACE: 11/4

A decorated former Army officer, seen as a safe pair of hands to steady the ship. A Remainer and the most popular option with Tory grassroots. Seen as Boris continuity candidate
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A decorated former Army officer, seen as a safe pair of hands to steady the ship. A Remainer and the most popular option with Tory grassroots. Seen as Boris continuity candidateCredit: Darren Fletcher

RISHI SUNAK: 4/1

Former Chancellor’s bombshell resignation helped topple the PM. The Brexiteer suffered a blow in a row over his personal finances but still popular
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Former Chancellor’s bombshell resignation helped topple the PM. The Brexiteer suffered a blow in a row over his personal finances but still popularCredit: Darren Fletcher

Conservative Party bosses fear a series of nasty “blue on blue” clashes, as bitterness over the ousting of Boris Johnson spills over.

In an early sign of trouble, the vanquished PM’s loyal lieutenant Jacob Rees-Mogg last night twisted the knife into Mr Sunak — accusing him of wrecking the economy.

He raged: “Rishi Sunak was not a successful Chancellor. He was a high tax Chancellor, and he was a Chancellor who was not alert to the inflationary problem.”

He added: “We are facing internationally the greatest crisis in relation to inflation and I’m afraid the Treasury has not been tackling that properly. It has not been focusing on the inflationary issue. It has not taken charge of quantitative easing.”

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Party elders expect the leadership contest to be a straight up fight between Mr Wallace and Mr Sunak, with new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi a lively outsider.

Polling yesterday gave Defence Secretary Mr Wallace the an early lead among Tory members. He topped a YouGov poll of 716 Tories, with 13 per cent saying he would be their first choice.

And the 52-year-old MP for Wyre and Preston North in Lancs beats all of his rivals in a series of head to head match-ups. Mr Wallace trounces Liz Truss by 48 per cent to 29 per cent, according to the survey.

He wins 48 per cent to 26 against Penny Mordaunt and beats closest rival Mr Sunak 51 to 30. Backers say Mr Wallace, a decorated former Army Captain who served in Northern Ireland, is the man to steady the ship after months of bitter Tory wars.

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He is weighing up a run at the top job. Meanwhile, Mr Sunak — the former Chancellor known for his giant Covid bailouts — has been telling fellow Tories he is the “Vote Leave candidate” in a bid to hoover up Brexit votes.

His replacement in the Treasury, Mr Zahawi, is also putting together a team to catapult him into No10. Trade policy minister Ms Mordaunt, a former magician’s assistant who appeared on telly show Splash!, is also planning to run.

'Fizz with Liz'

And Foreign Secretary Ms Truss was in a frantic 8,000-mile dash back from Bali last night to schmooze her colleagues as she plans to throw her hat into the ring.

She has been tapping colleagues up for their backing in a leadership contest for some time — throwing cosy dinners and “fizz with Liz” events.

Resigning on the steps of No10 yesterday lunchtime, Mr Johnson urged his successor to carry on his mission to level up Britain.

Admitting defeat after an explosive 48 hours in which more than 50 Tories quit his frontbench, the PM said that while he is out of No10 his party must stick to the promises he made during the historic 2019 landslide election.

He added: “If I have one insight into human beings, it is that genius and talent and enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed throughout the population.

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“But opportunity is not.

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PENNY MORDAUNT: 5/1

Brexiteer Navy reservist and former magician’s assistant goes down a storm with the Tory rank and file but has annoyed colleagues by openly campaigning during PM’s woes
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Brexiteer Navy reservist and former magician’s assistant goes down a storm with the Tory rank and file but has annoyed colleagues by openly campaigning during PM’s woesCredit: Louis Wood - The Sun

LIZ TRUSS: 9/1

A fiercely ambitious Remainer who loves an Instagram post and is pitching herself as the tax-cutting heir to Thatcher. Seen as a bit of an ice maiden among colleagues
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A fiercely ambitious Remainer who loves an Instagram post and is pitching herself as the tax-cutting heir to Thatcher. Seen as a bit of an ice maiden among colleaguesCredit: Alamy

TOM TUGENDHAT: 9/1

Ex-army officer pitches himself as a principled man of integrity not tarnished by the Boris years. Well liked by Tories but they fear lack of Cabinet experience will rule him out
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Ex-army officer pitches himself as a principled man of integrity not tarnished by the Boris years. Well liked by Tories but they fear lack of Cabinet experience will rule him outCredit: The Times

SAJID JAVID 9/1

Another assassin, whose resignation sent the Government into meltdown. Ambitious Remainer will run on a promise of honesty and integrity — but is seen as a bit boring
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Another assassin, whose resignation sent the Government into meltdown. Ambitious Remainer will run on a promise of honesty and integrity — but is seen as a bit boringCredit: Peter Jordan

JEREMY HUNT: 12/1

Britain's longest serving Health Secretary until Boris turfed him out. He is a Tory wet and brutal polling shows the Remainer would be beaten by every other candidate in the last round
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Britain's longest serving Health Secretary until Boris turfed him out. He is a Tory wet and brutal polling shows the Remainer would be beaten by every other candidate in the last roundCredit: London News Pictures

NADHIM ZAHAWI: 12/1

Newly promoted Chancellor who arrived in Britain aged 11 as an Iraqi refugee and went on to make millions founding the YouGov polling firm. Popular among all wings of the party
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Newly promoted Chancellor who arrived in Britain aged 11 as an Iraqi refugee and went on to make millions founding the YouGov polling firm. Popular among all wings of the partyCredit: AFP

STEVE BAKER: 25/1

Dubbed the hardman of Brexit, Baker is a serial Tory rebel who has helped bring down two PMs. Sounding out colleagues but most think he will not get enough support
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Dubbed the hardman of Brexit, Baker is a serial Tory rebel who has helped bring down two PMs. Sounding out colleagues but most think he will not get enough supportCredit: Alamy

SUELLA BRAVERMAN: 50/1

Fearsome Attorney General who announced her bid live on TV. Will pitch herself as the keeper of the true Brexit flame. But just too controversial a choice for most Tory MPs
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Fearsome Attorney General who announced her bid live on TV. Will pitch herself as the keeper of the true Brexit flame. But just too controversial a choice for most Tory MPsCredit: Alamy

ZAHAWI'S PM TILT TO PROMISE TAX CUTS

Exclusive by Kate Ferguson

NADHIM Zahawi is set to run for Tory leader on a promise to slash the size of the state to pay for tax cuts — after he helped push the PM out the door.

He was made Chancellor only on Tuesday evening but publicly called for Mr Johnson to go yesterday morning. Minutes later, No 10 said he was resigning.

In an exclusive Sun interview, Mr Zahawi said of hard-pressed families: “I instinctively want them to keep more of their money.” He vowed to wage war on government waste.

He said cutting the cost of government would bring down inflation and bankroll tax cuts.

The interview was before the PM’s authority collapsed, when Mr Zahawi was considering how to approach his new job.

He is now eyeing No 10 but has not formally announced he is running.
Yesterday, it was claimed he has been secretly working on a Tory leadership bid for months.

POLL: RISHI CAN BEAT STARMER

RISHI Sunak is the only Tory leadership candidate who could beat Keir Starmer in a general election, a poll suggests.

The former Chancellor pipped the Labour leader, left, by one point.

Lagging in the JL Partners survey of more than 2,000 people are Nadhim Zahawi, Sajid Javid, Ben Wallace, Jeremy Hunt, Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt.

A Tory MP said: “When it comes to picking a new leader MPs are only concerned with two things. Can they win an election? And what is in it for them?”

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