British PM candidate Truss boosted by former rival's backing

MP Penny Mordaunt greets Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss during a hustings event, part of the Conservative party leadership campaign, in Exeter, Britain, August 1, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - Foreign Secretary Liz Truss's bid to become Britain's next prime minister got a major boost on Monday when she received the backing of a lawmaker she narrowly defeated to make it to the final two candidates vying to replace Boris Johnson.

Junior trade minister Penny Mordaunt was the last contender to be eliminated in a succession of ballots by lawmakers in the ruling Conservative Party, losing out to Truss by just eight votes.