Tory leadership TV debate cancelled after Sunak and Truss pull out

The third televised debate of the Conservative leadership contest has been cancelled after former chancellor Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss said they would not participate.

Sky News, which was due to host the event on Tuesday, said Sunak and Truss had informed the broadcaster they would not take part after concerns from Tory MPs that the debates were damaging the party by exposing deep divisions.

Conservative MPs vote for a third time on Monday to whittle down the candidates hoping to succeed Boris Johnson as Tory leader and prime minister.

Five candidates are currently in the race: Sunak, Truss, trade minister Penny Mordaunt, former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat, chair of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee.

The second TV debate on Sunday hosted by ITV involved fiery exchanges — so-called blue on blue attacks — between some of the candidates, notably Sunak and Truss.

Sky News said: “Conservative MPs are said to be concerned about the damage the debates are doing to the image of the Conservative party, exposing disagreements and splits within the party. [Sunak and Truss] are very welcome to taking part in future Sky News televised debates.”

Truss’s performance in Sunday’s debate, which MPs judged as stronger than during the first one on Friday on Channel 4, has improved her standing in the race.

Bookmaker William Hill said there had been a “huge move” in political betting, with the odds of Truss winning slashed to 2/1, while Mordaunt dropped to 4/1.

Tory MPs will reduce the number of candidates to two by Thursday, and then Conservative members will make the final choice, with the result announced on September 5.

Sunak, who has so far secured the largest number of MPs’ votes, is seen as increasingly likely to obtain a place on the final shortlist of two. He is the bookmakers’ favourite to be the next prime minister.

Truss, Mordaunt and Badenoch are vying to secure the other place on the shortlist of two — Tugendhat is the most likely candidate to be eliminated from the contest later on Monday.

One Sunak campaign team member said the former chancellor would be willing to participate in more TV debates if he reached the final shortlist of two.

One member of Truss’s team claimed she was the main challenger to Sunak, and had momentum after Sunday’s TV debate.

Badenoch’s team said she was still willing to participate in TV debates. “She is open to a debate which sheds light on the issues that matter, but not one which is designed purely to cause a row,” said one team member.

Tugendhat’s team also indicated he was willing to continue with TV debates. “Given candidates are putting themselves forward to hold the greatest office in the land they should subject themselves to a similar level of scrutiny,” said one team member.

Mordaunt’s team said she hoped there would be “ample opportunity” for scrutiny in the later stages of the Tory leadership contest.

Mordaunt was criticised by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, international trade secretary, who is backing Tugendhat.

She said Mordaunt was distracted from her ministerial duties due to planning her leadership bid.

“There have been a number of times when she hasn’t been available, which would have been useful, and other ministers have picked up the pieces,” Trevelyan told the BBC.