YouGov poll gives Truss large lead against Sunak as hopefuls prepare for third hustings in Cardiff

Rishi Sunak’s proposals to strengthen the government’s anti-terrorism programme risk “straying into thought crimes” and are potentially damaging to national security, a former senior police chief has said.

The former chancellor announced measures to beef up the Prevent programme on Tuesday night, as part of a bid to boost his flagging campaign to succeed Boris Johnson as the next prime minister.

The widening of Prevent could damage its credibility and reputation. It makes it more about people’s thoughts and opinions.

It is straying into thought crimes and political opinions.

Political opposition is not where police should be, it is those who pose a serious threat and risk of violence, not those opposed to political systems.

You can’t afford to make those sorts of judgmental errors. And I think that’s one of the reasons I think it’s actually going to turn out to be good that the polling is delayed slightly by a week because people have more time to see with both candidates whether they think their judgement is good, whether they think their instincts are good.

And that, I think, will favour my candidate.