Ludlow MP throws backing behind Sunak

Ludlow MP Phillip Dunne has declared his support for Rishi Sunak.

Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss each addressed some 400 Conservative Party members, from the Ludlow constituency and at least ten neighbouring constituencies  last week.

Dunne, who had supported Jeremy Hunt at the outset of the leadership contest, confirmed live on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that he believes that Rishi Sunak would be best placed to ‘unite the party, and attract people to come back to the Conservatives who we have lost in recent months.’ Sunak, he added, ‘is best placed to lead a government which will deliver the manifesto commitments on which we won a large majority in 2019 and tackle the significant challenges of our time’.

The announcement comes as Mr Dunne reveals the findings of an online survey he has organised among constituents on the leadership contest: among party members and the wider electorate in the Ludlow constituency, both candidates are neck-and-neck as to who would make the best Prime Minister. Of the 1,250 respondents to his survey, Sunak (36%) led Truss (32%) by 4% on who would make the best Prime Minister.

But Rishi Sunak has a decisive lead amongst swing voters who may not have supported the Conservatives in 2019. Among Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters in 2019, Sunak is preferred to Liz Truss as the next Prime Minister by 4.5:1, among Liberal Democrats, he leads Truss by nearly 8:1.

Commenting on his decision, Dunne said: “The by-election losses of rural seats in North Shropshire and Tiverton & Honiton over the last 8 months is a stark reminder that we as a Party must appeal to a broad cross-section of voters, not just our traditional Conservative base.

“This is a difficult decision, as is clear from my survey, as we have two strong and experienced Conservative candidates to choose between. After considerable thought I am persuaded that Rishi Sunak is best placed to provide the strong leadership we need to cope with the significant challenges we face. He is also more likely to appeal to swing voters beyond our core vote and is thus the best candidate to win the next election.

“Whoever is chosen as leader on 5th September, I have every confidence that our country will be in safe hands. But I shall be voting for Rishi in the membership ballot.”