UK Tory leadership race: Contenders spar over tax in first TV debate

The five remaining Conservative candidates to become Britain's next prime minister clashed Friday night over tax and honesty in politics in their first TV debate, as they fight to make an eventual two-person run-off.

The 90-minute debate -- the first chance in the days-old contest for both the frontrunners and lesser-known contenders to pitch their credentials to a national television audience -- saw relatively few direct confrontations between them.

But when they did erupt, it came largely over taxation, with former finance minister Rishi Sunak, one of the frontrunners, forced to defend plans to keep rates at some of the highest levels in decades.

Sunak, who has topped the first two rounds of voting by Tory MPs this week as the race narrows towards a final pair next week, is up against several contenders vowing to cut various taxes immediately.

The wealthy and polished media performer, whose political fortunes have been damaged by his family's own tax affairs, urged both caution and patience as the UK grapples with the worst inflation in 40 years.

Foreign Decretary Truss, Tom Tugendhat, a prominent backbencher, Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt and former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch are the five candidates who are trying to replace Johnson.

Johnson last week announced his resignation as Tory leader after a cabinet insurrection led partly by Sunak, following months of controversies.

A snap poll of 1,159 viewing voters by Opinium found 36 percent thought the former army officer performed best, followed by a quarter citing Sunak. Just six percent said Truss, while Penny Mordaunt and Badenoch fared slightly better on 12 percent each.

They will participate in televised debates today and tomorrow.

A further vote and TV debate is scheduled for Tuesday. The ballots of Conservative MPs will end Wednesday, with the party's rank-and-file members then choosing from the two finalists following nationwide campaigning and hustings.

The winner will be announced on September 5.