IN the next days ballots for the leadership of the Conservative Party will begin to be delivered to Conservative members.

They face a grave choice. The country and the wider world are facing multiple crises. There are escalating tensions between the genocidal Chinese Regime and the democracy of Taiwan. Despite the resumption of grain shipments there is fear of famine in Africa because of Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Here at home we have a cost of living crisis caused by energy prices rises and the bill for paying for the Covid pandemic.

Instead of serious debate over these issues at least one leadership campaign has descended into puerile allegations of back stabbing delivered by cabinet ministers, senior MPs and former MPs. The country deserves much better from both Conservative candidates for PM.

It is unedifying in the extreme that a competent and popular former minister is being abused by a section of the party because he resigned on a matter of principle. It is not something the wider public will understand or forgive. Both candidates should reign in their teams and Ms Truss in particular should unreservedly condemn senior Conservatives such as the Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries who are tweeting abuse at Mr Sunak.

The decision Conservative members have to take is a difficult one. I hope they will have the courage to choose a candidate prepared to tell us hard truths rather than a purveyor of ideological sound-bites.

Ann Sheridan

Clapham