UPDATE: UK Tory MPs vote in 2nd leadership ballot Thursday afternoon

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Liz Truss stressed her Conservative credentials and Cabinet experience as the contest for leadership of the UK Tory party became increasingly bitter, with voting beginning in the second ballot of members of Parliament.

The UK foreign secretary is bidding to see off rival Penny Mordaunt, who is under fire from allies of Truss after a surge of support for the trade minister.

Mordaunt came second in the first round of voting on Wednesday, pushing Truss into third place.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak claimed the top spot but the battle to reach the final stage of the contest – which will see the two candidates chosen by MPs face a vote of the membership – is far from over.

Mordaunt's strong performance saw her claim 67 votes, 17 more than Truss, with Sunak picking up the support of 88 MPs.

All eyes will be on Thursday's ballot after the exit of former health secretary Jeremy Hunt and Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, as the remaining candidates jostle for votes from party colleagues.

Strong opinion polling also buoyed Mordaunt's campaign, pushing her into the status of bookmakers' favourite to become the next Tory leader and prime minister.

A second round of voting will see the lowest placed of the six remaining candidates eliminated from the race – although pressure is already growing from Truss's allies for Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch to abandon their bids and for their supporters on the right of the party to unite around the Foreign Secretary.

Braverman scraped into the second round with 32 votes – candidates with fewer than 30 were eliminated – while Badenoch had 40.

Work & Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey, a key player in the Truss campaign, told Sky News: ‘The reason why I think that supporters of Suella and Kemi should come and join Liz is because a lot of their policies are in a very similar direction – about having a free economy, about making sure we stand up for the UK and be proud of our country.’

Truss was expected to use a campaign launch speech on Thursday to attempt to portray herself as more competent on the economy than Mordaunt.

Meanwhile, Sunak insisted his wealth and background in international finance does not bar him from understanding the plight of hard-pressed households.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ‘I don't judge people by their bank accounts, I judge them by their character, and I think people can judge me by my actions over the past couple of years.

‘Whenever I have needed to step in to support people I have, and furlough is a fantastic example of that.

‘But what I would say as a Conservative is I believe in hard work and aspiration and that's my story, and if I'm prime minister then I'll be making the case for that with vigour.’

He defended his economic plan, which would not involve the immediate tax cuts promised by his rivals.

‘I think our number one economic priority is to tackle inflation and not make it worse,’ he told Today.

‘I will get taxes down in this Parliament, but I'm going to do so responsibly.

‘Because I don't cut taxes to win elections, I win elections to cut taxes, and I'm convinced that I'm the best person to beat Keir Starmer and the Labour Party at the next election.’

Under the Tory leadership rules, any candidate who does not get 30 votes or who finishes last in a round of voting is eliminated from the contest.

Tory MPs will continue to vote in subsequent rounds until two candidates are left, who will then battle it out over the summer to win the support of Conservative members, with their choice of the next prime minister being unveiled on September 5.

Johnson will formally tender his resignation to the Queen to make way for his successor the following day, his official spokesman confirmed.

By David Hughes, Gavin Cordon and Dominic McGrath, PA

source: PA

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