Rishi Sunak accused of 'mansplaining' as Tory rivals trade barbs in heated TV debate

The race for No. 10 has grown increasingly bitter as Rishi Sunak slams the 'Sugar Rush' tax cuts in short term" and Liz Truss lambasted "Project Fear"

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Sunak and Truss clash in BBC leadership debate

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss traded hard blows in their first televised head-to-head clash as the conservative race descended into open warfare.

The former Chancellor has harassed his former Cabinet colleague over his 'unfunded' plans for £40bn in tax cuts which he says would push 'millions into economic misery ".

But Ms Truss accused him of 'Project Fear' as the pair trashed each other's economic plans in front of a live audience in Stoke-on-Trent.

In a bad-tempered clash, Mr Sunak repeatedly interrupted his Tory rival - prompting his camp to accuse him of being 'unfit for office' due to his 'aggressive mansplaining'.

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The BBC debate turned almost immediately into a name-calling match when Mr Sunak denounced his 'short-term sugar rush' economic policy - but Ms Truss dismissed his 'negative language and declinist".

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak posed awkwardly before the debate (

Picture:

BBC)

The Foreign Secretary accused Mr Sunak of 'Project Fear' after he claimed cutting taxes was not a moral or conservative thing to do.

"It's alarmism, it's project fear, alarmism, that's it."

In a fiery attack on Ms. Truss' past support for Remain, Mr. Sunak said: "I remember the referendum campaign and there was only one of us on the Project side. Fear and Remain and it was you, not me."

The race for No. 10 grew increasingly bitter, with Team Truss and the Sunak campaign trading commentary on their records and political plans.

The senior Tories have pleaded with their rivals to stop bickering as they fear it will give Labor ammunition.

But the blue-on-blue attacks show no signs of abating, as Mr Sunak scrambles to catch up with the Tory members who will determine the next prime minister.

Mr. Sunak started the debate by hinting that he would see energy bills as a help in the fall when...