Tory leadership debate BBC LIVE: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss go head to head for Conservative leadership and No 10

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak will go head-to-head in a TV debate in a battle to become the next prime minister on the BBC.

We bring you the latest from the debate and all the fallout as the battle for the Conservative leadership, and the battle to become the next PM continues.

Sophie Raworth will host the debate in Stoke, with the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason and economics editor Faisal Islam offering analysis and some follow-up questions.

The studio audience is made up entirely of people who voted Conservative at the last general election.

Tory leadership debate LIVE: Truss and Sunak set for TV showdown in race for No 10

Rishi Sunak starts by paying tribute to David Trimble.

He says he knows times are difficult but that he spent his time as chancellor trying to ease the cost of living crisis. Sunak says putting NHS cost on nation’s credit not right - children and grandchildren will have to pay for it.

“One of the last things I did as Chancellor”was helping out people with the crisis. “I’m always going to respond to support people”.

Liz Truss says that she will provide a number of tax cuts.

She says people are struggling with “the worst cost of living crisis in generations”.

For those playing any sort of debate bingo tonight - we have the first mention of Paisley! Liz Truss brings up her upbringing.

Sunak says that the UK cannot put the cost of Covid on the never-never and says there is nothing conservative about not paying back debt. Liz Truss says she will hold paying it back for three years.

Liz Truss has said she would “act immediately” to help people who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

The Foreign Secretary said on the BBC televised debate: “I would act immediately. I understand that people here, people around the country, are struggling with some of the worst cost of living problems that we have had for generations.

“It’s hard to pay for fuel. It’s hard to pay for food. I would reverse the increase in national insurance. We promised not to raise it in our manifesto in 2019.

“The people here, who voted Conservative for the first time, expect us to fulfil our promises.

“So, I would reverse that increase in national insurance. I’d also have a temporary moratorium on the green energy levy, which would help cut money from fuel bills. That’s very important, that would come in straight away.”

Liz Truss said she would also put in place a “growth plan to grow our economy”.

For any bingo players - we have also had the mention of Project Fear.

On inflation and rising interest rates, Lizz Truss dismisses them as “Project Fear” and a second mention of Paisley.

It’s truly hard to believe both of these canddiates were part of the same Cabinet last week - they are now clashing on growth and future economics.

Liz Truss dismisses a question from Chris Mason, who mentions a book where Truss said British workers were lazy.

She hits back sayign didn’t write that bit, it was Dominic Raab, who is supporting Sunak.

Crashing the economy in order to pay a debt back quicker is a “massive mistake”, Liz Truss has said.

When pressed on her economic policy by BBC economics editor Faisal Islam, the Foreign Secretary said during the BBC debate: “I would obviously make sure, my chancellor would make sure that we optimise the way we are taking out those debts.

“The point I am making is… I am illustrating the fact that when you have a major world event, a major economic shock, trying to pay back the debt as quickly as possible is not the right thing to do economically.

“We didn’t do that after the Second World War. We shouldn’t do that now. And crashing the economy in order to pay a debt back quicker is a massive mistake.”

Interjecting, Rishi Sunak said: “The mistake that we will make is that at a time when inflation is already high, everyone’s already feeling it in their belt, interest rates are already on the rise, so, into that situation does anyone think that the sensible thing to do is go on a massive borrowing spree worth tens of billions of pounds and fuel inflation?”

The former chancellor said that “if we do, inflation stays here for longer and interest rates are going to go up”.

More geographical name dropping.

Rishi Sunak has claimed thought he had visited Stoke more than anywhere else while he was Chancellor while Liz Truss once again mentions Paisley and her upbringing there and in Leeds saying she grow up under low expectations.

Liz Truss says more must be done to clamp down on companies that are not consistant with values, such as TikTok - and calls out China for its support of Russia

Rishi Sunak says he must be on gaurd against companies that do not stand up for values as it is the right thing to do.