VICTORIA PRENTIS said she is “delighted” Rishi Sunak is still in the race to become Prime Minister.

The North Oxfordshire MP said: “I’m backing Rishi as he has the experience and vision to unite our party and country, rebuild our economy, and be a true leader on the world stage.

“Rishi is full of energy, hard-working and pragmatic. I was really impressed by his serious and competent work as Chancellor.

“Throughout the pandemic, he saved jobs and businesses across the UK. I think we would have been in a very different economic position now if it hadn’t ever come to being.

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“Rishi is someone I have known well for the past seven years. Having been Member of Parliament for Richmond (Yorks) since 2015, he has been a powerful advocate for his constituents. I know he has first-hand experience of the challenges facing a rural constituency such as ours.

In the fourth round of voting in the Tory leadership contest, which happened this afternoon, Rishi Sunak had 118 votes, Penny Mordaunt had 92 votes and Liz Truss had 86 votes.

Kemi Badenoch was eliminated from the contest after polling the lowest number of votes, 59, in the latest ballot of MPs.

She said she was “grateful” to the Tory MPs and party members who had backed her campaign.

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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi