6pm Campaign Update: Day 6

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Rishi’s big day launching his campaign.
Gained a lot of new backers, chief among them Deputy PM Dominic Raab, who opened for him at the QEII Centre, and Grant Shapps who dropped out to back him
A very slick launch, with a short and snappy speech
Took criticism from hacks who were blocked – with the exception of The Sun’s Harry Cole who managed to muscle in – from asking questions. Plus a ding dong with Beth Rigby that resulted in her being booed by the audience
Remains the leader of the pack in terms of MP backers

Won a decent number of new backers
A quieter day for her, though remains a dominant second in the backers race, easily clearing today’s 20 barrier. Picked up a few ex-Shapps backers who refused to follow their ex-leader into Camp Sunak
Had to re-re-edit her campaign launch video to remove Jo Cox footage after complaints

No publicity from Truss, although a good moment for her as Rees-Mogg and Nadine did a joint interview in Downing Street coming out for her
Picked up a lot of new support, not least from ex-Priti backers
Cleared the 20-backer hurdle earlier this afternoon

Tom’s campaign launch, in the 4 Millbank atrium, accompanied by Cameroon-esque smoothies
Unsurprisingly promised a “clean start”, otherwise a worse performance than Sunak’s
Was snapped by a co-conspirator having a crafty fag on the balcony of his parliamentary office – awkward for someone promising a clean start after Boris’s era of ignoring rules.

The third campaign launch of the day; introduced not by Gove – who was in attendance and enthusiastically clapping – but by Eddie Hughes.
Set out an agenda of free markets and realism, branding Net Zero “unilateral economic disarmament”
Did not promise easy tax cuts – instead claiming the state would have to be slimmed down to achieve them later.
Passed the threshold

A quieter day after his hours in the spotlight yesterday
Launched a new law & order push via a Sun interview, saying drug dealers will receive automatic driving bans and removing bureaucracy about when and where suspects can be interviewed after being detained by officers
Finally gave us a campaign logo to use

Jeremy Hunt was nowhere to be seen, although his team began briefing hacks an hour before hand that he’d cleared the 20-backer hurdle
Launched an eye-catching advertising campaign on Westminster’s most read blogs
Continued to rebut allegations he’s planning on dropping out and folding in behind Team Tugendhat