London: The fight for replacing Boris Jhonson seems to be advancing much towards Former UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s victory. As per the latest polls, the race to 10 Downing street is closer than previously thought. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss shows a smaller lead than was estimated earlier.

As per the poll conducted between July 19 and 27, Truss only has a 5-point lead over Sunak. While the foreign secretary has support from 48 per cent of Conservative Party members, 43 per cent back former finance minister Sunak.

This challenges the earlier survey by YouGov between July 20 and 21 which gave a 24-point lead to Truss over Sunak. The winner will be selected by voting between August 4 and September 3 from around 200,000-strong Conservative party members and will be announced on September 5. Both contenders have been busy campaigning.

Meanwhile, as ballot papers are being posted to the Conservative Party card-carrying members to cast their votes, there are worries of Boris Johnson loyalists registering a protest vote in the election.