# Five contenders to be next UK PM to face off in TV debate
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-07-15
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Britain's Next PM Contenders Clash in First Debate
Meta Description: The battle heats up as five candidates look to boost their chances in a closely contested race with no clear frontrunner.
URL: https://financedigest.com/five-contenders-to-be-next-uk-pm-to-face-off-in-tv-debatehtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-07-15t074921z1lynxmpei6e09grtroptp4britain-politics-1736815581194-compressed.jpg)

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) -The five remaining contenders to be Britain’s next prime minister will go head to head in the first of three televised debates on Friday, hoping a good performance will boost their chances in a battle that so far has no clear frontrunner.

An initial field of 11 challengers has been whittled down following two days of votes by lawmakers from the ruling Conservative Party, but no individual has yet emerged as the obvious successor to Boris Johnson who announced he was stepping down following a series of scandals.

While ex-finance minister [Rishi Sunak](https://www.financedigest.com/british-pm-rishi-sunak-pledges-further-action-on-strikes-to-protect-lives.html "British PM Rishi Sunak pledges further action on strikes to ‘protect lives’") has topped those two votes, he faces stiff competition from foreign minister Liz Truss, who has the backing of a number of senior figures, and junior trade minister Penny Mordaunt, who polls suggest is the most popular with party members who will decide the winner.

Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat, [chair of parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee](https://www.financedigest.com/us-house-committee-chair-concerned-by-tesla-deals-in-china.html "US House committee chair ‘concerned’ by Tesla deals in China"), also remain in the running and will hope that a strong showing in the televised debates will inject momentum into their campaigns.

“Tonight is the big event because what this is actually about is not just Conservative members, as important as they are, it’s actually about the country at large,” Tugendhat told broadcasters.

“What we need to show, what everybody needs to show, is that they’re able to communicate Conservative messages strongly and debate hard. Because this isn’t actually a knife fight in a phone box. This is about governing the [United Kingdom.”](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-fintech-and-open-source-cloud-solutions-in-the-united-kingdom.html "The future of fintech and open source cloud solutions in the United Kingdom")

Whoever gets the job will take on rocketing inflation and low economic growth, as well as the [public’s lack of confidence in politics after Johnson’s scandal-ridden time in power](https://www.financedigest.com/public-power-corp-rwe-to-build-five-solar-farms-in-greece.html "Public Power Corp, RWE to build five solar farms in Greece").

Voter [polls also suggest the Conservatives are falling significantly behind the opposition Labour Party](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-right-wing-parties-seen-winning-power-exit-polls.html "Italy’s right-wing parties seen winning power – exit polls").

Who’s going to be the best person to take on (Labour leader) Keir Starmer at the next general election?” lawmaker Richard Holden, a [Sunak supporter](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-sunak-to-halve-support-that-helps-businesses-pay-fuel-bills-the-times.html "UK’s Sunak to halve support that helps businesses pay fuel bills -The Times"), told Sky News.

That’s what I’m interested in because I [need to hold my seat in order to deliver for the people](https://www.financedigest.com/people-need-people-humanising-the-digital-banking-experience.html "People need People – Humanising the digital banking experience") in my seat.

DOWN TO TWO BY JULY 21

Sunak, whose decision to quit the Treasury last [week helped trigger a cascade of ministerial resignations](https://www.financedigest.com/liz-truss-resigns-after-six-weeks-as-uk-prime-minister.html "Liz Truss resigns after six weeks as UK prime minister") that brought down Johnson, remains the favourite among his 358 Conservative parliamentary colleagues.

But his lead over Truss and Mordaunt is slim, and both could overtake him depending on whom [lawmakers who backed](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-lawmakers-back-ban-on-goods-linked-to-deforestation.html "EU lawmakers back ban on goods linked to deforestation") other candidates choose to support. The battle has become increasingly hostile as the [rivals fight](https://www.financedigest.com/wizz-air-loses-fight-against-67-million-in-state-aid-for-romanian-rival.html "Wizz Air loses fight against million in state aid for Romanian rival") to stay in the contest.

On Thursday, Attorney General Suella Braverman was knocked out of the race and she has thrown her support behind Truss, who has also gained the [backing from David Frost who negotiated Britain’s exit from the European](https://www.financedigest.com/european-junk-debt-sales-spring-back-to-life-as-sentiment-improves.html "European junk debt sales spring back to life as sentiment improves") Union.

The Times newspaper [reported that Johnson was urging defeated leadership candidates to back](https://www.financedigest.com/its-back-to-school-for-investors-as-uk-student-accommodation-less-vulnerable-to-brexit-shock-reports-jll.html "It’s back to school for investors as UK student accommodation “less vulnerable to Brexit shock” reports JLL") “anyone but Rishi.

Meanwhile Mordaunt, a less well-known figure among the public at large who has become the bookmakers’ favourite, is facing [increasing attacks from rival camps over her experience](https://www.financedigest.com/fintechs-how-to-increase-loyalty-through-user-experience-and-fraud-prevention.html "FinTechs: How to increase loyalty through user experience and fraud prevention"), with Frost saying she was not tough enough towards the EU, a key issue for many Conservatives.

“Knives out for Penny! Not up to the [job say](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-ceo-says-job-cuts-to-exceed-18000-roles.html "Amazon CEO says job cuts to exceed 18,000 roles") rivals”, the Daily Express newspaper reported on its front page, while the headline of the Daily Mail, another typically Conservative-supporting tabloid, was “Mordaunt under the microscope.

“People obviously are trying to stop me getting into the final because they don’t want to run against me,” Mordaunt told Sky News, saying she did not want to engage in the same “black op”.

“In the polling that’s been done I beat all other candidates,” she said.

After the TV debates, lawmakers’ ballots will resume on Monday with the candidate with the fewest votes [eliminated each time until a final](https://www.financedigest.com/tennis-nadal-eliminated-from-atp-finals-alcaraz-to-finish-year-at-no-1.html "Tennis-Nadal eliminated from ATP Finals, Alcaraz to finish year at No. 1") two are chosen by July 21.

The new [leader will then be selected by the country’s 200,000 Conservative Party](https://www.financedigest.com/rishi-sunak-declared-next-leader-of-uk-conservative-party-to-become-next-pm.html "Rishi Sunak declared next leader of UK Conservative Party, to become next PM") members, and will be announced on Sept. 5.

(Additional reporting by William James; editing by John Stonestreet)


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---