Rishi Sunak greets Tory members at event in Shropshire

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have been courting votes in the Tory heartlands with party members saying whoever wins will be facing the “most difficult start… since the Second World War”.

Both candidates came to picturesque Ludlow on Wednesday, drawing about 350 Conservative members at the racecourse pavilion, in the shadow of Clee Hill.

The county of Shropshire is representative of the typical Tory shire whose members both candidates must woo if they are to win the leadership ballot.