Liz Truss Backer Admits Tory Leadership Frontrunner Is "Not The Slickest"
2 min read
Liz Truss is “not the slickest” candidate in the Conservative leadership contest, one of her backers has admitted.
Foreign Office minister Graham Stuart said that it would be a "combination of optimism and the fact that she's got a real plan" that would make his boss the best option to become the next prime minister, when challenged by Sky News over her inconsistent views on Brexit.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss and former chancellor Rishi Sunak have reached the final ballot of the Conservative leadership contest, which will now be voted on by party members. The winner will be announced on 5 September.
Truss stormed ahead of Sunak in a poll of Tory members on Thursday, securing a 24-point lead.
She also scored better than Sunak on whether she could be trusted to tell the truth in the YouGov survey.
Speaking to Sky News on Friday, Stuart insisted that he was not surprised by Truss' lead, despite having originally been a member of the Liberal Democrats, and having voted against leaving the European Union.
“Because that’s who she is," the Beverley and Holderness MP said.
“She’s not the slickest presenter in the contest. She’s not spent the last six months going to media training.”
He believed her experience in government was testament to her ability to succeed in the top job.
“She was Chief Secretary of the Treasury, she was Justice Secretary, she was the Environment Secretary, Trade Secretary now keeping us safe as Foreign Secretary," he added.
“She's a hard worker, and she makes things happen. But I think it's the combination of optimism and the fact that she's got a real plan.
“If a Truss administration comes in, we will get going on delivering relief for families now.”
According to Thursday’s YouGov figures, Truss has the support of 62 per cent of the membership who know how they will vote, compared to Sunak’s 38 per cent.
However, the same survey also found 15 per cent said they do not know how they would vote.
Overall, 63 per cent of the members surveyed said that Truss could be trusted to tell the truth, while 48 per cent said the same of Sunak.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
