Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss holding regular meetings with MPs

As speculation over Boris Johnson’s leadership continues, both Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have been holding regular meetings with MPs.

Mr Sunak met with 100 MPs this week, and Truss is said to have had dinner with several other Conservative MPs. 

The two Cabinet ministers are considered favourites to take Mr Johnson’s position if the PM is forced to resign over the ongoing “partygate” scandal.

Denying that he was on manoeuvres, and Sunak has said that his meetings were to discuss how to mitigate the cost-of-living squeeze in the face of rising inflation and energy bills.

Ministerial colleagues have accused Mr Sunak of being unenthusiastic in his support of the PM, one briefed that he acting like a “prancing pony” who was “pretty overt” about his ambitions. 

On Friday, Truss pledged loyalty to Mr Johnson, saying: “The Prime Minister apologised on Wednesday, he was very clear that mistakes have been made”. Likewise, the Chancellor urged “patience” ahead of the inquiry into the alleged parties.