Rishi Sunak Vows to Fight till the End, Gradually Gains Lost Ground

Rishi Sunak, the contender for the UK prime minister and Conservative Party leader, has regained some ground ahead of the issue of the ballots.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss – bookmaker’s favourite to win the race – remains ahead in the polls but after the Sky News’ Battle for Number 10 leadership debate Sunak seemed to have gained support of the voters who back the Tories.

Audience members present at the debate, in a show of hands, backed the former chancellor to the exchequer and expressed that they like the steps Sunak wants to take if elected prime minister.

Sunak said he will fight for every single vote till the last day of the campaign. “The quick answer is no, and that’s because I’m fighting for something I really believe in and I’m taking my ideas around the country,” he said during the Sky News debate when asked if he step aside for Liz Truss.

“I’m going to fight incredibly hard ’til the last day of this campaign for each and every one of your votes,” he further added.

A ballot hacking threat led to delay in issuing of ballots. A report by Reuters said the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) this week warned that cyber hackers could change people’s ballots.

Ballot arrival in Rishi’s favour

Conservative peer, Lord Hayward says the #BattleForNo10 audience conveyed a message from the many undecided Tory voters, as the majority said they preferred Rishi Sunak MP.

Read more here 👉 https://t.co/I6VbzeC0yV

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/kCCY9cwEHL

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 5, 2022

It was said that ballots for the 160,000 Tory Party members could arrive as late as August 11. However, ballots have finally started arriving but the small delay may have helped Rishi Sunak gain some ground.

Conservative peer Lord Hayward while discussing the effects of the debate on the audience and the arrival of the ballots with Sky News said: “The momentum was with Liz. No question about it but had the ballots arrived a few days earlier, people would’ve completed them.”

Hayward indicated that people may have voted for Liz Truss had the ballots arrived earlier.

Rishi Sunak won the audience, but Liz Truss appears to have a grip on the Tory membership in the country.

Sky’s @robpowellnews takes a look at the Tory leadership contest following the #BattleForNo10 live programme last nighthttps://t.co/qefEtXGz8t

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/3xv2rOuY8h

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 5, 2022

“My response is that the polls are right up to a point. But the audience last night… and they were from all over the country… (show that there are) a lot of undecideds. They conveyed a message last night,” Hayward said, referring to the support Sunak received from the audience.

Sky News’ Rob Powell also highlighted that instead of media appearances Rishi Sunak and his team are speaking to people in the constituencies. He said that Sunak’s team have reported that on the ground the support for Sunak is stronger and is different from what is being portrayed via the polls.

He also said Sunak met members of six associations last week trying to talk and persuade as many Conservative Party voters as possible.

He further added that the Bank of England’s interest rate hike from 1.25% to 1.75% could further push people to vote for Rishi Sunak due to his experience as chancellor to the exchequer.

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