Suella Braverman has backed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as the next Tory leader after being dropped from the competition to become the next prime minister. In the latest round of voting, former chancellor Rishi Sunak came first, Penny Mordant second and Ms Truss third.
Ms Truss is trying to garner support from the party’s authority to reach the last two. Former Brexit minister Lord Frost has urged fourth-ranked Cami Badenoch to step back from Ms Truss.
Tom Tugendhat is the fifth candidate in the contest, which will see Tory lawmakers run down to two through a series of votes before the winner is decided by postal ballots from members of the Conservative Party.
Lord Frost later supported the Foreign Secretary before the first of three televised debates between the candidates.
And writing in the Daily Telegraph, he suggested former equalities minister Ms Badenoch should pull out of the race “in return for a serious job in a Truss administration”.
“We need unity among free marketeers. Kemi and Suella Braverman set out convincing programmes, with differing emphases, for change,” Lord Frost said.
“But Liz’s depth of experience, her energy and ideas – as well as the simple fact she has the most votes of the three – put her in the lead.” However, Ms Badenoch’s campaign said she “has no intention of stepping down and is in it to win”.
A spokesman for the MP said she had brought “interesting ideas and a new approach to the contest”. The five candidates will participate in the debate on Channel 4 on Friday, on ITV on Sunday and on Sky on Tuesday.
Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has also backed Truss, and the BBC understands that most of the 27 Tory MPs who voted for Ms Braverman in the second round are expected to do the same.
Attorney General Ms Braverman had styled herself as the only “authentic” Brexiteer candidate in the controversy, pointing to her resignation as Brexit minister under Theresa May over the former prime minister’s deal.
Mr Sunak is still in pole position after winning 101 votes in Thursday’s ballot, followed by trade minister Ms Mordant, who has gained the most momentum with 83 votes.
Ms Truss received 64 votes.
Like Ms Badenoch, who came fourth with 49 votes, foreign affairs committee chairman Tom Tugendhat, fifth on 32, said she was determined to stay in the contest. The next round of voting, when the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, takes place on Monday.
The final result will be announced on September 5, when Boris Johnson will step down.