The five Tory leadership hopefuls have squared off in the first of three TV debates on Friday evening.
Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch took part in the debate on Channel 4.
The showdown heated up as the contenders clashed over whether they would cut taxes should they become prime minister.
Ms Mordaunt said she took attacks on her campaign to be the next prime minister as a "big fat compliment".
Earlier the international trade minister came under fire from rival camps after pulling ahead of Foreign Secretary Ms Truss in the first two ballots of the contest.
Ahead of the TV debate, Transport Minister Wendy Morton - a supporter of Ms Truss - denied anyone from the Foreign Secretary’s team was behind a “black ops” plan to sabotage Ms Mordaunt.
“People obviously are trying to stop me getting into the final because they don’t want to run against me,” Ms Mordaunt told Sky News.
“People are going to try and stop me, and it’s right. That is right. Anyone going for this job needs to be tested and scrutinised. You’ll see from my campaign that I’m not engaging in any of that.
Former Brexit minister, Lord Frost has claimed he had “grave reservations” over Ms Mordaunt becoming the next prime minister and, along with Ms Braverman, urged MPs to back Ms Truss’s campaign.
On Thursday, Rishi Sunak came out on top, with Ms Mordaunt and Ms Truss in second and third respectively and Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat rouding out the bottom two. Suella Braverman was dumped from the contest.
