Sunak vs Truss: Hampshire Conservatives cast their votes for the next prime minister

Today at 5pm, the ballot for Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss will come to an end.

The winner will become the new leader of the Conservative Party, following Boris Johnson's resignation, and will be made prime minister soon after.

Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt, who was previously in the running for Downing Street's top job, officially declared her support for Liz Truss after she was knocked out of the contest.

The Portsmouth Conservative later hosted Truss for a members-only event at the Queen's Hotel in Southsea.

Meanwhile, Mr Sunak recently visited the Meon Valley constituency with an address at the Robin Hood pub in Durley, close to where he went to school at Winchester College.

Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond said: 'I have gone on record as supporting Rishi Sunak for his economic policies, and have already cast my vote for him.

'We have two exceptional candidates and I have high hopes for the future regardless of who wins.'

Since Ms Mordaunt fell out of the running, a number of Conservatives were left scratching their heads over who to vote for.

Portsmouth City Council representative for Eastney and Craneswater, Councillor Linda Symes, said: 'I voted for Liz Truss in the end - not that I think she's much better than Rishi Sunak.

'Mr Sunak stabbed Boris Johnson in the back, from very close range, and I would certainly have preferred for him to remain in power.

'Instead, I've been forced to vote for the least worst of the final two.'

Conservative leader in Gosport, Cllr Graham Burgess, said: 'I finally made my mind up and I have voted for Rishi Sunak.

'I think he is far better in the dispatch box and I don't think she [Liz Truss] commands an audience quite like he does.

'He has delivered his budgets as chancellor and appeared in control - he speaks with authority.

'But to my mind Penny Mordaunt would have been an untouchable finalist and I hope the wider Conservative Association gets more of a say in the future.'

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Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Sean Woodward, has also voted for Rishi Sunak.

He said: 'It was quite the toss-up between the two of them, in all honesty.

'I didn't think Boris Johnson should have been stabbed in the back like he was, and I was supporting Penny Mordaunt until she was bizarrely knocked out of the running.

'I saw both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak in-person and listened to what they both had to say, and on balance I thought Mr Sunak was the better candidate.'

Hampshire County Council representative for Leesland and Town, Cllr Zoe Huggins, added: 'I have also voted for Rishi Sunak - his stance on county lines is something I strongly agree with and I prefer his economic policies, both in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and with the ongoing cost of living crisis.

'But both candidates have really good ideas and I hope whoever wins will take on board what the other has to say.'