Liz Truss co-wrote book calling for Royal Navy aircraft carriers to be scrapped, as well as charging for GP appointments and cutting doctors' pay

Written in 2009, the document entitled ‘Back to Black’ called for several major military procurement projects to be axed, including the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales – which are based in Portsmouth.

The pamphlet describes the projects as ‘inappropriate defence projects’ that ‘do not contribute to the UK’s modern defence requirements’.

Among other polices proposed was the idea to charge people to see their GP, to slash doctors’ pay by 10 per cent, and abolish universal child benefit.

Pensioners would be hit by the removal of ‘gimmicks’ such as winter fuel payment and free TV licences for over-75s, while students would face market rates for interest on their student loans.

The Tory leadership frontrunner co-wrote the short book with six other people when she was deputy director of the Reform think tank.

Ms Truss promoted Reform’s Back to Black report with articles in The Spectator and Conservative Home after its publication in April 2009.

TalkTV’s The News Desk reported on Thursday that the pamphlet had been written after the financial crisis and when Labour was in government.

Ms Truss’s campaign has been approached for comment on the 2009 report, which could hint at her ideological approach to government spending if she enters Downing Street in September.

Her campaign team told PA: ‘Co-authoring a document does not mean that someone supports every proposal put forward.

‘Liz is focused on her bold economic plan to boost growth, cut taxes and put money back into hardworking people’s pockets.’

It comes as Ms Truss’s rival in the race for No 10, Rishi Sunak, again warned her tax-cutting plans could fan the flames of inflation.

Economists at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that permanent tax cuts, which Ms Truss has gone further in pledging than Mr Sunak, could ‘exacerbate’ pressures on public spending.

During her leadership campaign, the foreign secretary has set out plans to grow defence spending by three per cent of GDP by 2030.