Sajid Javid has thrown his support behind Liz Truss as the next Conservative Party leader, in what will come as a huge blow to Rishi Sunak.

The former health secretary, and ex-leadership hopeful, attacked Mr Sunak’s economic policies as he revealed his choice in The Times this evening.

He suggested Mr Sunak’s refusal to cut taxes meant the UK risks “sleepwalking into a high-tax, low-growth economy” with a loss of “global influence and power”.

Politics Hub: Latest poll gives Truss huge lead in race for PM

Whereas he said Ms Truss had a “bold agenda” that can beat Labour and “save Britain from sliding into the middle ranks”.

He wrote: “Some claim that tax cuts can only come once we have growth. I believe the exact opposite – tax cuts are a prerequisite for growth.

“Tax cuts now are essential. There are no risk-free options in government. However, in my view, not cutting taxes carries an even greater risk.”

Liz Truss says she would ‘support and extend’ the governments controversial Rwanda deportation policy ‘to more countries’

Tory leadership ballot papers delayed due to security fears

Liz Truss extends poll lead over Rishi Sunak after public sector pay plan U-turn

Mr Javid is the latest high profile Tory MP to back Ms Truss, after she received the support of Tom Tugendhat and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace last week.

The foreign secretary’s bid for the Tory leadership was also boosted by two surveys giving her massive leads.

She won a 34-percentage point lead over Mr Sunak in a YouGov poll of party members, before a survey for the ConservativeHome website put her 32 ahead.

Related posts:

A night of high drama: Relief for Starmer as his prayers are answered in Batley and Spen Merkel tells PM number of fans at Wembley for Euro 2020 seems ‘a bit too much’ Batley and Spen – Labour hold…just People who have had both jabs may no longer need to quarantine Boris Johnson says he backs Met commissioner and urges public to ‘trust the police’ New law banning all wet wipes containing plastic proposed by Labour MP MP wells up in Commons as she describes difficulties for nephew with Down’s syndrome ‘We need to change the PM’ – former minister becomes 14th Tory MP to publicly call for Boris Johnson to resign Wallace: UK govt will send more weapons to Ukraine Public sector pay rises – who decides and how? Parts of Labour Party treated antisemitism as ‘factional weapon’, long-awaited report finds What happens now the Conservative leadership race is down to the final two?