Sunak vows to protect greenbelt in bid to vote for county Tories who pick next PM

Rishi Sunak today opened a new front in his battle with Liz Truss for the Tory leadership by saying he would be the protector of the green belt if he becomes prime minister.

Ms Truss is comfortably ahead in the poll for the battle to succeed Boris Johnson, but has unsettled some in traditional Tory counties with a promise to build 1million homes in the greenbelt around London and other English cities. p>

Contrary to his call for more country homes for those under forty, Mr Sunak said he would ban any "inappropriate" development on greenbelt land.