Tory leadership race - live: Mordaunt criticised for supporting homeopathy on NHS
Foreign secretary vows to axe tax hike and national insurance rise
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tory leadership hopeful Penny Mordaunt has been criticised for her support of homeopathy on the NHS.
Homeopathy is a treatment based on using diluted amounts of natural substances, but is not currently funded by the NHS due to its “lack of effectiveness”.
Ms Mordaunt has advocated the practice according to an analysis of her parliamentary record and past comments, and was one of 16 supporters of a motion in the House of Commons criticising the British Medical Association for withdrawing NHS support for homeopathy, in June 2010.
Meanwhile, Liz Truss has pledged that families could receive tax breaks of up to £2,500 to help them take time out of work to look after children or other family members.
Ms Truss has promised a radical overhaul of the taxation system if she gets into Downing Street that would also include ditching green levies on energy bills and reversing an increase to national insurance.
It comes after the five contenders to become the UK’s next prime minister clashed over tax cuts and Boris Johnson’s honesty in a debate on Friday night.
A snap Opinium poll found 36 per cent of viewers believed Tom Tugendhat performed best – while just 10 per cent of Tory voters said the same of Ms Truss.
Liz Truss accused of ‘black-ops’ as desperate fight to stay in Tory leadership race begins
Liz Truss has been accused of “black-ops” in her desperate fight to stay in the Tory leadership race, as the party’s right-wing boosted her chances of being the next prime minister.
Two leading supporters of the foreign secretary branded key rival Penny Mordaunt unfit to be prime minister as the contest turned nasty and undermined her claim to be fighting a clean campaign.
The Tory infighting comes as one senior Truss supporter revealed frustration with MPs who have failed to vote for her as promised, telling The Independent: “This is the most duplicitous lying electorate you have ever come across.”
Read more from Kate Devlin, Rob Merrick and Ashley Cowburn:
Liz Truss accused of ‘black-ops’ as fight to stay in Tory leadership race begins
Allies brand Penny Mordaunt unfit to be prime minister and hit out at MPs who have broken pledges to vote for foreign secretary
Who are Rishi Sunak’s super rich in-laws?
The prospect of Rishi Sunak winning the leadership election is stirring a wave of excitement in India as well, both because of his own Indian heritage and because he is married to Akshata Murthy and therefore the son-in-law of one of India’s richest businessmen, Narayan Murthy, often hailed as the father of India’s IT boom.
Mr Murthy’s personal story tracks closely with India’s own path to becoming a successful global IT hub.
Here’s all you need to know about the former chancellor’s super wealthy in-laws:
Who are Rishi Sunak’s wealthy in-laws?
The personal story of Narayan Murthy, ‘the Steve Jobs of India’ and father-in-law to the outgoing UK chancellor, mirrors his country’s own path to becoming a successful global IT hub
Downing Street admits to ‘nasty, misogynist culture’ while Boris Johnson PM
Downing Street has admitted that Boris Johnson presided over a “nasty, misogynist culture” in No 10 but denied the prime minister himself was to blame.
An ITV documentary aired on Thursday, Tonight: Boris Johnson: The Rise and Fall, included allegations that Mr Johnson brought with him to Downing Street “a very masculine culture ... you know, lads down the pub.”
The anonymous source, said to have worked in Downing Street, added, “If you were a female in that sort of zone, it’s actually quite uncomfortable to work in.”
Liam James has more:
Downing Street admits to ‘nasty, misogynist culture’ while Boris Johnson PM
PM’s communications lead blamed other aides for sexist environment
Who should Labour fear most at the ballot box?
Who should Labour most fear: Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt or Liz Truss?
The most obvious, but most superficial answer, is Rishi Sunak.
But “fresh” candidates – Mordaunt, Badenoch and Tugendhat – enjoy a markedly warmer welcome among people than the likes of Sunak and Truss.
Sean O’Grady explains what the outcome of the Tory leadership vote will mean for the next general election:
Analysis: Who should Labour fear most at the ballot box – Sunak, Mordaunt or Truss?
Keir Starmer has defined himself as the anti-Boris Johnson but that effect is now disappearing, and the terms of the debate are changing, writes Sean O’Grady
Tory leadership candidates’ branding efforts from best to worst
Five Conservative Party leadership hopefuls are jostling to make into the final two in the race to be the next prime minister, having made their appeal to MPs for support.
Rishi Sunak launched his campaign with a video about his upbringing, Penny Mordaunt raised eyebrows with some bombastic flag-waving, and Liz Truss played it safe by setting out her stall as the “trust” candidate.
Mark Borkowski, one of Britain’s top PR experts, said some of the remaining contenders had launched impressively “slick” campaigns – but still had a long way to go in connecting with the country the way Boris Johnson once did.
The communications professional ranked the candidates’ branding efforts, giving The Independent his verdict on how their presentational style might fare with party members and the wider public.
Read more from Adam Forrest here:
Tory leadership candidates’ branding efforts ranked from best to worst
From flag-waving videos to American-style slogans, the campaigns of the final five are rated by a PR expert
Liz Truss boosted by backing of ousted Suella Braverman
Suella Braverman says she will back Liz Truss to be the new Conservative leader after being ousted in the race to succeed Boris Johnson - in a move that dramatically heightens the stakes.
If Ms Braverman’s backers do likewise, the support will bring the foreign secretary within touching distance of second-placed Penny Mordaunt and boost Ms Truss’s campaign.
Sources have told The Independent the attorney-general will lend her vote to the foreign secretary in the third round of the battle to be PM.
My colleagues Jane Dalton and Chris Baynes have more details here:
Suella Braverman backs Liz Truss after being ousted from Tory leadership race
Support means foreign secretary could be big threat to second-placed Penny Mordaunt
‘No intention of stepping down’, Badenoch’s campaign says
Kemi Badenoch’s campaign said she is “in it to win” and has no intention of stepping down, after former Brexit minister Lord Frost’s called for her to quit the Tory leadership race in favour of Liz Truss.
In a statement, Ms Badenoch’s spokesperson said: “Kemi has brought interesting ideas and a new approach to this leadership contest. She is looking forward to the debates this weekend.”
She has no intention of stepping down and is in it to win.
Tory leadership candidates urged to halt Channel 4 privatisation plans
Firms including those behind popular TV programmes such as Peaky Blinders, The Crown, and Ackley Bridge, have written an open letter to the candidates, adding their support to a campaign launched last month, co-ordinated by We Own It.
The 16 independent production companies are asking the candidates to commit to dropping the privatisation plan for Channel 4.
They believe the election of a new Prime Minister offers an opportunity to keep Channel 4 in public hands.
The open letter highlights that as a publicly owned broadcaster funded through advertising, Channel 4 does not cost the taxpayer a penny, instead returning a profit of £74 million last year and contributing £1 billion to the economy, supporting 10,000 jobs and 15,000 training opportunities.
Matthew Topham, We Own It lead campaigner, said: “Channel 4 is the levelling-up broadcaster. Its unique business model makes working in TV and film production a realistic dream, no matter where you live in the UK.”
If the Government is serious about levelling up, they need to protect Channel 4, not sell it off.
“Right now, Channel 4 supports 10,000 jobs, with hubs in Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, and Cardiff, but cuts to one in three regional jobs are predicted under a private Channel 4, and 60 independent production companies are expected to go bust if the plans go ahead.”
Read more:
Tory leadership candidates urged to halt Channel 4 privatisation plans
Sixteen independent production companies have written an open letter to the MPs remaining in the contest.
Lord Frost calls on Kemi Badenoch to withdraw from race in favour of Liz Truss
Former Brexit minister Lord Frost has thrown his support behind Liz Truss as he urged Kemi Badenoch to pull out of the Tory leadership contest so there can be “unity among free marketeers”.
In an article in the Daily Telegraph, the 57-year-old wrote: “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.”
“It is now time for pragmatism. I urge Kemi to stand down in return for a serious job in a Truss administration.”
Read more:
Lord Frost calls on Kemi Badenoch to withdraw from race in favour of Liz Truss
The Conservatives’ choice of the next prime minister will be announced on September 5.
Just three audience members support government’s plans for energy crisis
In a reality check for all the candidates, just three members of the Channel 4 audience at Friday’s debate said they believed that enough help was being offered for fuel bills tipped to hit an annual £2,800 in the autumn.
And only 10 said they are more likely to vote Conservative after what they heard, at a time when Mr Johnson’s multiple scandals have handed Labour a healthy poll lead.
Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has this comprehensive round-up of the debate here:
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments