Conservative leadership – live: Frost urges Badenoch to step out of race and back Truss

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Tory leadership race: Who is Penny Mordaunt?

Former Brexit minister Lord Frost has thrown his support behind Liz Truss and urged Kemi Badenoch to step down the Tory leadership race and to back the foreign secretary.

He called for "unity among free-market supporters" and praised Ms Badenoch, but said that she should step down "in return for serious work in a Truss administration".

Her remarks come as Penny Mordaunt closed the gap to Rishi Sunak and increased her lead over Ms Truss in the second round of voting for Conservative MPs in s part of the race for the leadership of the party and the post of prime minister.

The former defense secretary won 83 votes, while the favorite, the former chancellor, won 101 - a gap of 18, three less than yesterday's gap after the first round.

But Suella Braverman, who was eliminated from the competition, announced that she would now support Ms Truss, and if her supporters did the same, the Foreign Secretary would rival Ms Mordaunt for support.

Tom Tugendhat has vowed to fight on, despite backing from just 32 Tory MPs, as the remaining candidates prepare for two televised debates.

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