Liz Truss’s hopes of winning the Conservative Party leadership contest received a major boost on Tuesday when 11 Tory whips declared their support. 

The whips office had remained neutral in the race as Ms Truss battles Rishi Sunak to replace Boris Johnson in Number 10, but the 11 MPs have now given Ms Truss their public backing.

It comes less than 24 hours after Alun Cairns became the third Tory MP to switch their support from Mr Sunak to her campaign.

Andrew Bowie, a supporter of Mr Sunak, insisted on Tuesday that the former chancellor is still “very much in contention” in the contest and there is still a “long way to run”.

However, momentum appears to be with Ms Truss, who is viewed as the firm favourite. The two candidates will battle to win over Tory members at the next leadership hustings in Perth on Tuesday evening.

The whips who have declared their backing for Ms Truss are: Stuart Anderson, David T.C. Davies, James Duddridge, David Evennett, Rebecca Harris, Adam Holloway, Gareth Johnson, Scott Mann, Joy Morrissey, Suzanne Webb and Craig Whittaker.

Mr Whittaker wrote on Twitter: “As government whips, we had to stay neutral for much of the campaign. However, it is great to now have those shackles removed by the Chief Whip and we are free to declare who we support. I’m backing Liz Truss and it’s a privilege to do so!” 

Ms Webb tweeted: “I have always been Team Liz, having worked for Liz as her parliamentary private secretary in Trade and Women and Equalities. I have seen first hand that Liz gets things done, Liz delivers and she is a great team player.” 

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Chief Whip, said earlier in the leadership race that “the Whips Office will stay neutral throughout the Conservative Party leadership contest”. He has not declared who he is backing.

Mr Sunak’s hopes of winning the leadership race suffered a fresh setback on Monday night as Mr Cairns, a former Welsh secretary, announced that he was switching his support to Ms Truss.

He joined Sir Robert Buckland, the current Welsh Secretary, and former minister Chris Skidmore, who had already defected to the Foreign Secretary’s campaign.

Mr Bowie, who represents West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, was told during an interview on Sky News that Mr Sunak did not appear to be on course to win the leadership contest.

But Mr Bowie said: “We have still got three weeks of this contest to look forward to… we have still got many hustings across the United Kingdom, nd we have got a long way to run.

“So I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the polls. Look, I am a Scottish Conservative, if I paid any attention to polls then I wouldn’t be sitting here at all. 

“We have got many thousands of party members still to speak to and Rishi Sunak is very much in contention to be the next leader of the party, the next leader of this country, and that is what I am working very much to making sure happens.”

Source: Telegraph.co.uk