Sunak short by 32 points as Truss leads in latest UK Tory members survey

For the survey, out of the 961 Tory members, 60% voted in favour of Truss, while just 28% backed Sunak. The results are similar to the last Conservative party poll on 4 August, when Truss also enjoyed a 32-point lead.

So far, surveys have not been favourable for Sunak with Truss gaining a majority in a succession of polls and surveys since the contest was narrowed down to two candidates last month.

As per the surveys that are conducted till now, Truss is the hot favourite to become the party’s — and the country’s — next leader. The survey said, 60% of the leaders said they had already voted, while 40% haven’t.

Earlier, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak won the votes of the Conservative Party in show of hands in a head-to-head television debate held on Thursday night with rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. 

The results are due on 5 September this year with the winner taking over from Johnson the following day.

What lead the Tories to this?

Boris Johnson resigned as leader of Britain’s Conservative party on 7 July, after dozens of ministers quit his scandal-hit government.

The mass resignations came after accusations made by a senior former civil servant stating that Johnson’s office had given false information about past sexual harassment allegations against lawmaker Christopher Pincher.

In February this year, Johnson had appointed Pincher deputy chief whip, giving him responsibility for the well-being of other Conservative lawmakers

This paved the way for the selection of a new leader of the Tories (Conservative Party) and Britain’s Prime Minister.

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who was the first one to resign citing ethical grounds and kick-started Johnson’s downfall along with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, threw their hats in the ring for the chair of British prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party just within few days of Johnson’s resignation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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