UK TV debate axed over Tory image fears
Television bosses were yesterday forced to scrap a planned debate between contenders for the leadership of Britain's Conservative party, as MPs voted again to narrow down the field.
The five remaining candidates -- Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat -- had been due to appear in the third televised debate on Tuesday night.
But former finance minister Sunak and Foreign Secretary Truss pulled out, Sky News, which was due to host the programme, said.
"Conservative MPs are said to be concerned about the damage the debates are doing to the image of the Conservative party, exposing disagreements and splits within the party," it added in a statement.
Conservative MPs are holding a series of votes to whittle down the candidates to just two, before a wider ballot of the Tory grassroots.
The latest starts at 1600 GMT, with Tugendhat expected to win the least number of votes and be eliminated when the result is announced from 1900 GMT. Boris Johnson announced on July 7 he was quitting as Conservative leader after a government rebellion in protest at his scandal-hit administration.
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