Former BBYO president Grant Shapps pulls out of Tory leadership contest

Former BBYO president Grant Shapps has pulled out of the Tory leadership race.

Tweeting on Tuesday, Transport Minister Shapps, the only Jewish candidate vying to become Prime Minister, announced he was instead backing Rishi Sunak’s campaign to become leader.

Shapps wrote:”Huge thanks to my team for helping to pull together my leadership bid in literally no time! Amongst a field of brilliant candidates I’ve spoken to Rishi Sunak who I believe has the competence and experience to lead this country.”

He announced the decision just before ex-chancellor Sunak formally launched his leadership campaign at an event in central London.

Shapps initial decision to stand in the contest meant he could have become the first Jewish Prime Minister of the Tories since Benjamin Disraeli who led the country between 1874-1880.

Michael Howard led the Tories from 2003-2005, but did not become PM.

Shapps had become national president of Jewish youth group B’nai B’rith Youth Organisation (BBYO) as a teenager in the 1980s.

Many of the remaing 10 leadership hopefuls staged launched events on Tuesday.

Sunak said he was is “prepared to give everything I have in service to our nation”.

He also praised Boris Johnson are “one of the most remarkable people I have ever met” and said that he believes the PM has a “good heart”.

Sunak said that while Johnson may be flawed “so are the rest of us”.

The former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, who is one of those to stand openly attacking so-called “woke” values, opened her Tory leadership campaign speech by saying “it’s time to tell the truth”.

At an event, which was attended by her supporter Michael Gove, who was sacked by Boris Johnson last week, Badenoch hit out at what she described as the “Ben & Jerry’s tendency” within business at her campaign launch.

She cited the firm as an example of a business whose “main priority is social justice, not productivity and profits.”

Tom Tugendhat promised to slash fuel duty by 10p if elected as PM at his leadership bid launch event in Westminster.

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said: “I am here to make the case that our economy can only prosper if we believe that people—and not Westminster—know best how to spend their money.

“I know the pain families are feeling now. That is why my first pledge is to take fuel duty down by 10p a litre.”

Meanwhile Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister for Brexit opportunities, announced that they were backing Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in the Tory leadership race.

Sunak, Truss and Penny Mordaunt, are considered favourites to become next leader, after the initial candidates are whittled down to just two next week.

The contest must be decided by September 5th, it has been confirmed by the party.