Tory leadership candidates warmed up for a television clash on Sunday night by trading personal attacks in an increasingly toxic battle to succeed Boris Johnson.
Frontrunner Penny Mordaunt lashed out at “smears” against her in the race to be the next Prime Minister as Kemi Badenoch’s campaign stepped up their attacks over her position and record on transgender rights.
Mordaunt faced questions over her stance on trans rights after a leaked document suggested that, while Equalities Minister, she backed removing at least one element of the medical process for trans people to legally transition.
