Tory MPs warn Liz Truss ‘don’t lurch to the right’ amid fears of ‘Thatcher tribute government’

Former minister suspects Tory leadership frontrunner will be ‘right-wing and hard Brexit’ if elected leader on Monday

Conservative MPs have warned Liz Truss not to lurch the government to the right if, as expected, she triumphs over her rival Rishi Sunak and becomes prime minister next week.

Tory MPs cautioned that the new Conservative leader must not abandon the centre ground or surround herself with an inner circle of right-wing allies now that a general election is looming.

One former minister said: “I suspect she will go for a pretty hard-Brexit, right-wing, Thatcher-tribute government.”