The vote to decide Britain’s next prime minister has been delayed amid security fears – as a new poll confirmed that Liz Truss is on course to ease to victory over Rishi Sunak.

The Foreign Secretary has increased her lead and looks set to be handed the keys to Number 10 in little more than a month, even as GCHQ were unexpectedly catapulted into the contest last night.

The security service’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) confirmed that it provided advice to the Conservative Party, which has delayed sending out ballots to its members. Less than 200,000 of them will decide Britain’s next leader but the ‘minor’ security issue is not expected to impact when the new PM takes over.

The Telegraph reported that there was no specific threat from a hostile state and concerns were instead raised over the ‘vulnerability of the voting process’.

Under the party’s original system members were able to vote – and then change their decision while the ballot remained open.

Now a unique code will be provided which will only allow one, unchangeable, vote, the Telegraph said.

North West Durham MP Richard Holden, who is supporting Sunak, told BBC Newsnight: ‘I’ve heard they’re delayed.

‘I think there’s some minor security issue which has been dealt with, but it won’t delay the result of the poll which is a crucial thing for everybody.’

The ballots had been due to be sent out from Monday but could now arrive as late as Thursday August 11, before the winner is confirmed on September 5.

It comes as the Foreign Secretary increased her lead over the former chancellor to 34 points, according to a new YouGov poll.

The security delay gives Sunak additional time to make up ground on his rival – but Truss’ lead is looking increasingly unassailable, despite a major U-turn yesterday.

Various Conservative heavyweights and right-wing newspapers have been rolling in behind her in the race to Downing Street.

The YouGov poll shows that 60% of Tory members polled between July 29 and August 2 say they intend to vote for Truss, up from 49% immediately after the final two were announced.

Support for Sunak, the former chancellor, has dropped from 31% to 26% over the same period.

The rest of the 1,043 Conservative party members polled say they remain undecided or will not vote.

In a further blow for the former Chancellor, 83% of those who currently say they intend to vote for Truss also say they have made up their mind, while just 17% say they might still change their mind.

29% of Sunak’s supporters say they might still vote differently, YouGov added.

A Liz Truss campaign source said the new polling ‘reflects exactly what we are seeing with members around the country.’

But her campaign spent Tuesday on damage limitation duty after abandoning a flagship policy to slash £8.8 billion from public sector pay outside London.

The announcement on Monday night met fierce opposition from senior Conservatives who warned it would be ‘levelling down’ by leaving nurses, police officers and teachers in poorer parts of the country worse off.

Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, who is backing Sunak, said the proposed pay policy had left him ‘speechless’, telling the BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme that it was a ‘horrifically bad’ policy.

The Sunak campaign, meanwhile, will be hoping the additional time can give him precious time to change members’ minds at hustings and around the country before the first votes are cast.

An NCSC spokesperson said of the security concerns: ‘Defending UK democratic and electoral processes is a priority for the NCSC and we work closely with all parliamentary political parties, local authorities and MPs to provide cyber security guidance and support.

‘As you would expect from the UK’s national cyber security authority we provided advice to the Conservative Party on security considerations for online leadership voting.’

The Conservative Party has been contacted for comment.

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