Latest from Boris Johnson – live: Penny Mordaunt takes second place as Sunak leads the race

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Hunt and Zahawi out of leadership race as Sunak leads first poll

Liz Truss will be looking to enlist the support of her leadership rivals on the conservative right as for her to set out her case for becoming Prime Minister, hours before the candidates are eliminated in the second round of voting.

Foreign Secretary - who has the backing of Boris Johnson loyalists Nadine Dorries and Jacob Rees-Mogg - should pledge to cut taxes and 'level up conservatively', as a minister has urged supporters of right-wing candidates Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman to "join Liz" instead.

After Jeremy Hunt and new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi were both eliminated from the race on Wednesday, Penny Mordaunt emerged as a potential favorite after a YouGov poll l has proven to be a clear favorite among loyal Tories.

Mr. Hunt then pledged his support for Rishi Sunak - who topped Wednesday's poll after winning 88 votes to Ms Mordaunt's 67 and Ms Truss' 50 - and described the ex-Chancellor as having the "standards of highest integrity", just hours after he was effectively accused of risking a UK recession.

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