Liz Truss widely expected to win but ally of Rishi Sunak still hopeful

London, Sep. 2 (IANS): The Tory leadership ballot will close on Friday with Conservative members to choose between Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak as the new UK Prime Minister, a media report said.

The tea-time deadline will bring to an end the eight-week contest to replace Boris Johnson in Downing Street, after the outgoing prime minister announced his resignation following a revolt by Tory MPs, the Daily Mail reported.

Around 160,000 Tory members have been given a vote in the final stage of the leadership contest — between Truss and Sunak — with the result of the ballot to be announced at an event in Westminster at lunchtime on Monday.

Truss is widely predicted to be crowned the new Tory leader with the Foreign Secretary expected to use this weekend to continue her preparations for entering Number 10, Daily Mail reported.

But an ally of Sunak, the former chancellor, this morning insisted the race was still ‘neck and neck’ and the result not ‘cut and dried’.

Meanwhile, removal vans were spotted in Downing Street this morning as the Johnsons’ final belongings are taken away from their official flat above Number 11.

A win for Sunak would shock Westminster and the wider country after polls have consistently put Truss ahead of her rival in the leadership battle, Daily Mail reported.

Whoever is the announced the victor on Monday will have a whirlwind 48 hours at the beginning of this week as they start their premiership.