Rishi Sunak hints he won't take Cabinet job if Liz Truss wins Tory leadership race

Aspiring Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave his strongest signal yet that he would not accept a position from Liz Truss, saying " you really need to agree on the big things" in government

Video loading

Video not available

Click to playTap to play

Highlights from Sunak's opening speech in Manchester

Rishi Sunak has hinted that he will not accept a cabinet post if his rival Liz Truss wins the Tory leadership race.

Ex-Chancellor insists he's 'not thinking about jobs for me or anyone else' as tough competition to become next Prime Minister enters its final stages weeks.

But he gave his strongest signal yet that he wouldn't take a job from Ms Truss if she won, saying he had learned that "you really have to agree on the big things" in government as a nod to his time in the Treasury.

Mr Sunak's resignation as Chancellor last month after clashes with Boris Johnson was widely credited with opening the floodgates for the rebellion that torpedoed Mr Johnson's post as Prime Minister.

>

But Mr Sunak's hopes of succeeding him are fading as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss's popularity with Tory activists grows.

Conservative leadership hopeful Liz Truss is set to triumph in the contest (

Picture:

Getty Images)

Some members have expressed anger at Mr. Sunak for his role in bringing down Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Truss is reportedly considering offering her rival the post of health secretary if she takes office in September.

When asked if he would take the job, Mr Sunak told BBC Radio 2: "I'm not focused on all of this and I doubt Liz is to be honest.

"I'm just focused on going out and trying to win this race at the moment.