THE Conservative Party has delayed sending out ballot papers for the leadership election over security concerns.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the party has made changes to its process on the advice of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, following warnings that cyber hackers could change people’s votes.
Under the party’s original system, members would be able to vote but change their decision while the ballot remained open - but now a unique code will be provided which will only allow one, unchangeable vote, the paper said.
The ballots had been due to be sent out from Monday but could now arrive as late as Thursday August 11.
North West Durham MP Richard Holden, who is supporting Rishi Sunak, told BBC Newsnight: “I’ve heard they’re delayed.
“I think there’s some minor security issue which has been dealt with but it won’t delay the result of the poll which is a crucial thing for everybody.”
An NCSC spokesperson said: “Defending UK democratic and electoral processes is a priority for the NCSC and we work closely with all parliamentary political parties, local authorities and MPs to provide cyber security guidance and support.
“As you would expect from the UK’s national cyber security authority we provided advice to the Conservative Party on security considerations for online leadership voting.”
The Telegraph said it understood there was no specific threat from a hostile state and concerns were around the vulnerability of the voting process.
Meanwhile Lord Cruddas, who does not want Boris Johnson to leave Number 10, said the contest should be stopped.
"It is time to suspend the leadership campaign following reports of potential foreign cyber security attacks on the ballots. We cannot take any risks with the integrity of our political system," he said.
It comes as Sunak appeared to have lost ground in the Tory leadership race but a reported ballot delivery delay over security concerns could give him more time to make an impression before votes are cast.
A YouGov poll puts Liz Truss well ahead of Sunak in support from party members, with her lead increasing to 34 points.
It shows 60% of the party members polled between July 29 and August 2 say they intend to vote for the Foreign Secretary, up from 49% since the period July 20 to 21 when the rivals first made the cut for the final two.
Support for Sunak, the former chancellor, has dropped from 31% to 26% according to YouGov, while the rest of the 1043 Conservative party members polled say they are undecided or will not vote.
In a further blow to Sunak, YouGov data also showed 83% of those who currently say they intend to vote for Truss also say they have made up their mind.
Just 17% say they might change their mind while 29% of Sunak’s supporters say they could still vote differently.
The Truss campaign spent Tuesday performing damage control after abandoning a flagship policy to slash £8.8 billion from public sector pay outside London.
The announcement on Monday night met fierce opposition from senior Conservatives who said that it would be “levelling down” the nation by leaving nurses, police officers and teachers worse off.
Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, who is backing Sunak, said the proposed pay policy had left him “speechless”, and suggested it would have cost the party the next general election if implemented.
Sunak’s camp argued that the move was no mistake, saying Truss had called for the move when she was chief secretary to the Treasury in 2018.
“The lady is for turning,” a source said, mocking the Cabinet minister over comparisons she receives with former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
But Truss insisted her policy had been “misrepresented”.
Speaking to the BBC in Dorset, she said: “I’m afraid that my policy on this has been misrepresented. I never had any intention of changing the terms and conditions of teachers and nurses.
“But what I want to be clear about is I will not be going ahead with the regional pay boards, that is no longer my policy.”
Former chief whip Mark Harper told Truss to stop “blaming journalists – reporting what a press release says isn’t ‘wilful misrepresentation’”.
But after a mixed day, Truss did receive a campaign boost with backing from the Daily Mail.
