Shropshire MPs reveal their choices for leader as Tory contest reaches final two

The contest to become the leader of the Conservative Party is now down to two choices – former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, or Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

The winner will be decided by a vote of the Conservative Party members.

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has been supporting Liz Truss since Grant Shapps withdrew from the contest, and now Telford MP Lucy Allan, has also revealed she is supporting the Foreign Secretary in her bid to replace Boris Johnson.

Ms Allan, who had supported Kemi Badenoch until she was knocked out of the contest, said she wanted a new leader who prioritises a "tax system that incentivises work".

She said: "I want a leader that will focus on the issues that matter most to people in Telford.

"This leadership election needs to be about policies, not personalities.

"It’s also about who can build a strong united team. I want a tax system that incentivises work, where the lowest paid, know they are better off in work, where we expect the state to do some things well and interfere less.

"Since the pandemic we have all become more reliant on the state, we have developed an expectation that whatever the problem we face the state should have the answer. It doesn’t. The larger the state the more taxes we pay, the more money gets spent by the state and not always wisely.

"We face massive challenges in terms of the functioning of the NHS, poor services from Government departments, inflation, the energy crisis and a low growth economy.

"We need a leader with traditional conservative values, who will unite the party and focus on growth.

"I was supporting Kemi Badenoch in earlier rounds and I am sorry she’s not on the final ballot. I am supporting Liz Truss, she has excellent people on her team and she’s going to win."

Mr Pritchard said: "This is a long contest, but that provides ample opportunity for members of the party to hear both candidates’ approach to the economy, defence, education and health issues and get to know their personalities a little more.

"I think it will also give time for Liz Truss’s inner steel to shine through.”

Ludlow MP, Philip Dunne, who had been part of Jeremy Hunt's failed campaign, said he had not yet decided who he would be supporting, and would be putting the question to his constituents – Conservative members or not.

He said: "I am launching an online opinion poll for my constituents to let me know their view. I am keen for as many people as possible in South Shropshire to take part, whether members of the Conservative Party or not, and whichever party they support.

"You can take part by completing the Prime Minister Survey at tellphilip.com.

"I shall await the responses over coming weeks before declaring who I shall be voting for."

He added: "We have an important choice to make, and both of the candidates have considerable senior experience in Government running major departments of state.

"After the volatile period we have been living through, our new Prime Minister needs to restore integrity in politics and competence in Government, with a clear vision to unite the party and take the country forward, delivering our manifesto and making the critical decisions to navigate the economy through the choppy waters ahead."

Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams is supporting Mr Sunak's bid – and previously worked with the former chancellor in the Treasury.

He said: "As a country we are facing challenges on a number of fronts, nowhere more so than on the economy. We need a leader that has experience of dealing with an economic crisis – and that is Rishi Sunak. He has the vision and determination needed to reunite our country and take our country forward.

"I worked closely with Rishi when he was Chancellor. Within days of a global pandemic striking, he put in place the furlough scheme which saved 11.6 million jobs up and down the country. Thanks to the support that he put in place, hundreds and thousands of businesses got through the pandemic. Because of him, we have record low unemployment.

"He will be honest with people, and believes in controlling our debt and borrowing. Rising inflation is the enemy – it makes people poorer.

"He is clear that he will deliver tax cuts when it is possible – but putting money back into people’s pockets in the knowledge that inflation will whip it back out is not the right thing to do.

"Rishi backed and believes in Brexit. He is the person that will seize the opportunities that lie ahead to unleash Britain’s growth and ensure that it is the best place in the world to invest, live and work.

"He offers both change and hope. He will restore trust, rebuild the economy, reunite the country and win the next election. He believes, as I do, that we can do better."