TORY leadership contender Liz Truss is too tainted by her close relationship with Boris Johnson to become Prime Minister, according to the former head of the Army.
General Lord Richard Dannatt has backed Penny Mordaunt to beat former chancellor Rishi Sunak in the final vote by party members.
In an exclusive interview with GB news, he said: “It was interesting watching, as I think we all did a few minutes ago, the press conference for her campaign launch. I have to say it felt a little bit like sitting in on an episode of Dragon’s Den.
“I know that these candidates have all got to put themselves forward, but it did feel a little bit cringeworthy.
“Now that said, and to be fair, she has been foreign secretary for a while now in Boris Johnson’s government, and has been very vocal, very forceful in putting this country forward as the leader in Europe in the opposition to Vladimir Putin.
“So, on that basis, she must be taken seriously…I’d like to see her words translate into a greater spend on defence in this country.”
But Lord Dannatt told Tom Harwood that her loyalty to Boris Johnson will likely count against her and tipped Penny Mordaunt for Prime Minister.
“This is where Liz Truss will struggle somewhat because she didn’t resign from Boris Johnson’s government as a lot of other senior ministers did,” he said.
“She says that she’s loyal so therefore she wouldn’t resign, but it means that she is to a fair degree tainted with Boris Johnson’s legacy.
“But Penny Mordaunt on the other hand, although hardly involved in senior government in the last few years at all, although she was Defence Secretary in the past, I think she is more likely to find herself as one of the two.
“If it comes to the public vote amongst Conservative Party members between Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak, I think Penny Mordaunt has a good chance of making it.”
He said like Ms Truss, Mr Sunak was also tainted by his close association with Mr Johnson and this could hand the advantage to Ms Mordaunt if the pair make it to the final public round of voting.
He said: “They have to be associated very closely with his period in office, which had some successes, but he had some major flaws, I think it’s fair to say though that the major flaws in Boris Johnson’s government are Boris Johnson himself, a colourful character, yes, but one very much lacking integrity, which is really what’s brought him down.”
He added: “I think it’ll be Rishi Sunak, I think it’d be Mordaunt out for the public vote.
“Very hard to call which of those will win – I think I would probably slightly edge it to Penny Mordaunt. She’s not tainted by the past and I think people are looking for someone fresh who might give us a fresh start.”
