The four remaining Tory leadership candidates have clashed bitterly in crucial TV debates where they attacked each other's records on the economy.
But the real audience is 180,000 Tory members who’ll vote between the final two before a new PM enters No10 on September 6.
And that’s not to mention Tory MPs, who will whittle down the five candidates to the run-off in three ballots this week - starting with a ballot result at 8pm tonight which will reduce the field to four.
On some issues they're united. None have backed a 5% pay rise for public sector workers, none would give Boris Johnson a Cabinet job, and none would call a snap election.
However, with the right splintered, some candidates have made wild pledges on tax cuts - often unfunded - to get MP voters’ attention.
All the while, Brits use washing-up liquid as shampoo and energy bills are set to explode on October 1.
IFS think tank director Paul Johnson said: “I'm particularly struck by the juxtaposition of the focus of the debate on tax cuts, and lack of focus on public services, on the one hand.
“And the really awful stats that came out of the NHS showing record pressures on almost all aspects of the service.”
It’s true there are huge holes in what the candidates are saying about help for the poorest. But here’s what we do know so far.
Penny Mordaunt
TAX: Pledged a 50% cut in VAT on fuel, is looking at raising tax thresholds - currently frozen - in line with inflation and will have discussions around the standing charge on electricity bills.
SPENDING AND CUTS: Little detail, but pledges a “low tax small state” suggesting cuts are to come - despite admitting public services are “in a desperate state”. Her vows include “social capital pots” to local areas to boost investment and a childcare budget for families, but admits this doesn’t involve new money. Would spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030. Says more cost of living help will be needed in Autumn but won't say what. Would quadruple the number of degree apprenticeships available in the North, "deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail" and "ensure at least half of our new 40GW, 24GW nuclear and 10GW of hydrogen capacity will be built in the north".
CULTURE WARS: Ex-equalities minister said "trans women are women" in 2018. But she is now trying to distance herself from so-called "woke" views, stressing there is a difference between biological women and those who are legally women. Said: "I think it was Margaret Thatcher who said that every Prime Minister needs a willy. A woman like me doesn't have one." Says privatising Channel 4 is "not a priority for me".
HUMAN RIGHTS: Backs the plan of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda - like all the leading candidates do - but ruled out leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.
ENVIRONMENT: Would keep the policy of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, but says: “It has to not clobber people. It's got to support levelling up and resilience and security.”
BREXIT: Backed Brexit from the early days and played a prominent role in the Leave campaign. She has stood by misleading Vote Leave advertising that implied Turkey could imminently join the EU.
HOUSING: Would ditch housing targets saying they have been "tested to destruction". In a vague policy pitch she said: "I will change the system. I will champion a brownfield building boom, and do more to protect precious greenfields. We will build better, and we will do it using incentives, infrastructure, investment and innovation."
Rishi Sunak
TAX: Ex-Chancellor is offering fewer tax cuts than his rivals. “I will deliver tax cuts but I will do so responsibly after we've got a grip of inflation,” he says. Business tax cuts would come first and he previously pledged a 1p Income Tax cut in 2024.
SPENDING AND CUTS: As Chancellor he backed Boris Johnson's plans to slash a fifth of civil service jobs by the end of 2025. He asked departments to model job cuts of 20%, 30% and 40% by the same date. But his cost-of-living cash payments are still more than other candidates would pledge, even if teachers and NHS staff are set for a real-terms pay cut.
CULTURE WARS: He is prepared to "protect women's rights" and wants to ensure kids to have a childhood with sex education being sensitive and age-appropriate. Elsewhere he told a private hustings of Tory MPs he'd be open to scrapping the BBC licence fee.
HUMAN RIGHTS : Backs Priti Patel's controversial Rwanda policy. Before quitting as Chancellor, said "all options are on the table" when asked if the UK will withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights.
ENVIRONMENT: Signed a pledge to roll out home insulation and electric vehicle charge points, and backs the target of Net Zero emissions by 2050.
BREXIT: Vowed to review 2,400 EU laws still on the statute book, and have initial recommendations for each one on whether it stays or goes, within 100 days.
Liz Truss
TAX: Pledged to “start cutting taxes from day one” with an immediate Budget, including reversing National Insurance hike and reversing next year’s corporation tax rise from 19% to 25% which had aimed to raise £16bn a year. Would also pause green levies on energy bills, costing the Treasury £5bn and harming Net Zero targets but saving households £153 each. Will “review” tax system to make it easier for parents or carers to be at home with loved ones.
SPENDING AND CUTS: Did not explain how she would pay for her drastic tax cuts - but has talked about a spending review on Day One to slash services, and she’d put Covid debt on a longer term footing. Would raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 and "look again at the shape and size of our armed forces".
CULTURE WARS: Blocked reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, proposed by Theresa May, to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender and has tried to move the Equalities department away from the "identity politics" of the left, suggesting it should be called 'Department of Freedom'.
ENVIRONMENT: Backed the PM's push to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050 but would stop green levies on bills, which could damage the target.
BREXIT: Former Remainer gained trust in Brexiteer circles. Pushed through the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which critics say breaks international law.
HUMAN RIGHTS: While in government, backed policy of deporting some migrants to Rwanda. In a hustings with Tory MPs, she backed leaving the European Convention on Human Rights as a last resort.
HOUSING: Would get rid of housing targets after years of Tory failure, claiming they are "Stalinist".
Kemi Badenoch
TAX : Wants to introduce a micro-state with low taxes but says: "I will not enter into a tax bidding war and say my tax cuts are bigger than yours. The dividing line in this race is not tax cuts, it's judgment."
SPENDING AND CUTS: Warns of “limits on government spending” to fund tax cuts and says Tories should “stop pretending” the state can do everything it currently does. Backs means-testing pensioners' Winter Fuel Payment and stopping cost-of-living payments which are “very inefficient - there’s a lot of dead weight in how we run government.” She implies she wants fewer people on benefits saying: "Family is the first line of welfare, and strong families reduce the need for a larger state".
CULTURE WARS: A focus of her launch, where makeshift paper signs showed toilets were for ‘men’ and ‘women’. Vowed to “discard the priorities of Twitter ” and “the Ben and Jerry’s tendency” for firms to put “social justice” over profit. Demanded police stop “worrying about hurt feelings online” and said “tick box exercises in sustainability, diversity and equality” were not the “core mission”.
ENVIRONMENT: Blasted net-zero by 2050 policy as "unilateral economic disarmament" due to being pursued "without thought for industries in the poorer areas" of the UK. Apparently told a Green hustings she backed Net Zero by 2050 - before then telling TalkTV she would be prepared to delay it if necessary.
BREXIT: Backed Brexit in 2016.
HUMAN RIGHTS: Pledged to keep the Rwanda policy. We’ve asked her team if she’d guarantee staying in the European Convention on Human Rights.
HOUSING: Claims she'd improve housing supply by keeping families and cracking down on immigration. She wrote: "We need new homes in the right places. We also need to recognise that pressure on housing comes from increased migration and from family break-up."
