Shropshire MP urges public to take part in his Prime Minister survey

Ludlow's Tory MP, Philip Dunne, who has not yet decided who he will be voting for in the leadership contest, said more than 500 people had responded to his survey on the issue within hours of it launching over the weekend.

Mr Dunne had supported Jeremy Hunt in his unsuccessful bid to become the party's leader.

The contest is now down to two people, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The vote on who will become leader, and ultimately Prime Minister, is now down to members of the Conservative Party, with the ballot closing on September 2.

Mr Dunne said: “I want to hear what South Shropshire residents think of the final two candidates. Either former chancellor Rishi Sunak or Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will become the next Prime Minister when the result is declared on September 5.

"I have not yet declared which candidate I will be supporting. This decision will affect the lives of every one of us as the new Prime Minister takes on the major challenges we face, not least the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.

“Rishi and Liz are putting forward their distinctive views on how best to tackle key issues such as public spending, taxation, our relationship with the European Union and defence, so it is crucial that the candidate with the vision to succeed wins the contest.

"I strongly believe we need to be led by a Prime Minister who can restore integrity to politics, and bring experience and competence to Government.

"But he or she also needs a compelling vision to chart the country through the choppy economic waters ahead. I want to understand the views of my constituents before declaring support for either candidate."

People can take part in the survey at www.tellphilip.com