Liz Truss accused of 'black-ops' as desperate fight to stay in Tory leadership race begins

Liz Truss has been accused of 'black-ops' in her desperate fight to stay in the Tory leadership race as an ally goes after MPs who broke their promise to vote for her.

Two of the Foreign Secretary's main supporters have branded chief rival Penny Mordaunt unfit to be prime minister as the competition turned sour - undermining her claim to run a clean campaign. with MPs who didn't vote for her as promised, telling The Independent: 'This is the most deceitful lying electorate you've ever encountered.'

David Frost has accused Ms Mordaunt of not having 'got the details right' when she was his deputy as Brexit minister.

The attacks were condemned by David Davis, the former Brexit minister Cabinet and a Mordaunt supporter, as the "clockwork" response to its candidate moving forward.

"Someone gets ahead and looks like the real challenger, then the black ops begin," Mr Davis told Sky News, shortly after Ms Mordaunt cut Rishi Sunak's lead.

By contrast, Ms Truss languishes in third place with just 64 votes - behind 101 for Mr Sunak and 83 for Ms Mordant - ahead of a weekend of decisive live TV debates.

But the Foreign Secretary's campaign was given a boost on Thursday so r by the endorsement of Suella Braverman, who was knocked out of the contest in the second round earlier in the day.

Previously, Ms Truss raised her eyebrows as she promised a new budget "on day one" of his seizure of power, an event that would take weeks of preparation, while failing to deliver on his promise of a new economic plan.

His campaign stuttered despite turning to the right as he withdrew from the European Court of Human Rights and pledging to waive green levies on fuel bills.

Another Truss ally admitted Monday's next round will be "absolutely critical" because she courted Ms. Braverman, the ousted candidate, in an attempt to secure the bulk of her 27 votes. The Foreign Secretary's spokesman praised the defeated candidate, saying, "Suella Braverman ran a campaign of which she can justly be proud."

Sources later confirmed to The Independent that Ms Braverman would vote for Foreign Secretary in the next ballot. Steve Baker, who backed Ms Braverman before she was eliminated, said he would follow suit.

But Ms Truss will need to garner almost all of Ms Braverman's 27 votes to close the gap to Ms Mordaunt, whose support rose the most, by 16 votes, in the second round.

The former Defense Secretary also secured the coup from Defense Committee Chairman Tobias Ellwood of Commons and former remaining leader.

Mr. Ellwood suggested Ms Mordaunt was well placed to garner the 32 votes won by Tom Tugendhat - the candidate likely to be knocked out on Monday's third ballot.

He highlighted their common position on the issues defence, saying, "I see the possibility that many of those migrating [to Ms. Mordaunt] and I invite Tom Tugendhat himself to support Penny."

The first stage of the contest is not will end until next Wednesday – unless someone gives up – after which Conservative party members will choose between the two surviving candidates.

An explosive poll on Wednesday gave Ms Mordaunt a huge lead among the base - which appears to be favoring a clean break with cabinet ministers sullied by Boris Johnson's rule.

Mr Sunak's camp said they were 'pleased' with their 101 votes and argued rivals are changing position, a source said, "Some of the other candidates are now starting to go back on what they said before."

The former chancellor would not engage in "those fun games that some people have suggested", the source in...