‘You stabbed Johnson in the back’: Rishi Sunak accused of betraying PM at first Tory leadership hustings

Crowd of Tory members applaud suggestion PM should join former chancellor and Liz Truss on ballot

Rishi Sunak faced accusations he “stabbed Boris Johnson in the back” as he addressed grassroots Conservatives in the first member hustings in the race to replace the prime minister.

There was applause from the crowd of more than 1,000 Tories at the suggestion Mr Johnson should be on the ballot paper alongside his former chancellor and his rival Liz Truss.

But Mr Sunak denied he had betrayed the PM while being grilled at the event in Leeds. Rather, he said he resigned because of differences in economic policy.