Conservative members are dealing with delays in receiving their postal ballots to vote for who they need to be the social gathering’s subsequent chief as a consequence of safety fears.
In a letter despatched to Tory members seen by Sky News, the Conservative Party’s head of membership confirmed postal ballots will arrive “a little later than we originally said” as “we have taken some time to add some additional security” to the method.
Members have been beforehand as a consequence of obtain their postal votes this week.
However, the e-mail despatched to members says they need to obtain their poll by Thursday 11 August.
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The correspondence provides that voting greater than as soon as within the ongoing management contest shall be handled as “an offence” and warns that any member who’s discovered to have voted a number of instances will “have their party membership withdrawn”.
It provides that Tory members can both vote by put up or on-line.
But the Telegraph newspaper has reported that the safety fears have compelled the Conservative Party to desert plans to permit members to alter their vote for the subsequent chief later within the contest.
Allies of management hopeful Liz Truss have been believed to have been involved the unique rule permitting Tory members to alter their vote within the contest would work to her rival Rishi Sunak’s benefit.
The guidelines of the management contest, set by the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs and the Conservative Party board, state members ought to solely vote as soon as but when a “duplicate” vote is recorded, the second shall be counted.
CCHQ described it as a slight delay and have been unable to present any additional steering.
A Tory Party spokesperson stated: “We have consulted with the NCSC throughout this process and have decided to enhance security around the ballot process. Eligible members will start receiving ballot packs this week.”
Earlier on Tuesday, a new ballot steered Ms Truss has prolonged her lead over Mr Sunak within the management race.
It comes as Mr Sunak battles to make up floor throughout what’s a key week within the contest for the keys to Number 10.
The newest YouGov ballot of Conservative members for The Times newspaper exhibits Ms Truss’s lead has stretched to 34 factors within the Tory management race, with 60% of social gathering members now saying they’ll vote for the international secretary to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister.
This is in comparison with simply 26% for former chancellor Mr Sunak.
The ballot, carried out during the last 5 days, exhibits Ms Truss is now forward of Mr Sunak amongst all age teams, throughout totally different components of the nation and with women and men.
The solely class the place he beats Ms Truss is amongst Tory Remain supporters.
The YouGov survey revealed on Tuesday additionally discovered nearly 9 in 10 Conservative members have now made up their minds how they’ll vote forward of poll papers going out this week.
But it should concern each potential leaders that greater than 50% of social gathering members believed whoever was elected to succeed Mr Johnson would lose the social gathering its majority on the subsequent election.
Just 19% of members thought Mr Sunak could lead on the Tories to victory, whereas 39% thought Ms Truss may see off a problem from Labour.
Voting will shut on 2 September with the winner anticipated to be introduced on 5 September.
As the management race continues to warmth up, Mr Sunak and Ms Truss will as soon as once more face the cameras this week on Sky News.
Taking place on Thursday 4 August at 8pm at Sky Studios in west London, The Battle for Number 10 will see the candidates participate in back-to-back questioning from the reside studio viewers made up of Conservative Party members who stay largely undecided on who to vote for.
This will then be adopted by an in-depth interview with Kay Burley.
The programme shall be broadcast reside for 90 minutes and totally free on Sky News channel 501, on Freeview 233, on Sky Showcase channel 106, and throughout Sky News’ digital channels.
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