UK Prime Ministerial Candidates Set To Clash in Second Televised Debate Today

Five candidates are in the race to replace UK's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are in the race to become UK's next prime minister.

(Photo: Namita Chauhan/The Quint)

The five candidates in the race to replace United Kingdom's outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are set to participate in their second televised debate set to take place on Sunday, 17 July, with candidates arguing over several issues, including tax policy and transgender persons' rights.

Rishi Sunak, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and son of an Indian doctor, currently leads the race to the top post.

The candidates – former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, former minister Kemi Badenoch, and Tom Tugendhat – in the fray will be reduced to just two this week, with further voting set to take place.

Rishi Sunak, whose resignation triggered the downfall of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on Wednesday, 13 July, took an early lead in the race to succeed as leader of the ruling Conservative Party and Britain's prime minister by winning the first two rounds of voting by Tory members of Parliament.

In the first ballot of Conservative MPs, Sunak got 88 votes, while Penny Mordaunt came second place with 67 votes. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was in the third position with 50 votes.

The First Debate

The first TV debate happened on Friday where the economic policy was argued upon. Sunak called Truss' proposal to axe increases in payroll tax and corporation tax at a cost of more than $36 billion a year, "a fairy tale."

"I've got enormous respect and admiration for all of my colleagues who are standing to be leader. And it's right that we have passionate debate about these issues."

Rishi Sunak

According to the snap poll after the debate, Tugendhat was seen as the best performer, Sunak appeared second and Truss last.

(This story will be updated with more details.)