Conservative leadership hopefuls are gearing up to speak to the party faithful at fringe events in the second day of the Tory Party conference.
Liz Truss and Priti Patel are widely expected to create dividing lines with Rishi Sunak, who seems to be heading for an election defeat next year.
Jeremy Hunt, on the other hand, is backing the prime minister as he told Times Radio he had been “completely cured” of leadership ambitions.
Doing the rounds with broadcasters on Monday morning ahead of his speech to the conference, the chancellor said Mr Sunak is an “amazing prime minister” who “works phenomenally hard” and “has an incredible grasp of detail”.
The chancellor will speak today at the conference, where he is expected to announce tougher rules on benefits and a boost to the national living wage as part of a Tory plan to get more people into work.
He will also promise the national living wage will increase to at least £11 an hour from April.
