British Foreign Minister Liz Truss clashed with former finance minister Rishi Sunak over tax policy on Friday, as the five remaining contenders to become Britain’s next prime minister face off in the first of three televised debates.
An initial field of 11 challengers has been removed after two days of votes by lawmakers from the ruling Conservative Party. But no man has yet emerged as the clear successor to Boris Johnson, who announced he was stepping down after several scandals.
whereas Sunak has topped those two votesHe faces stiff competition from Truss, who has the backing of many senior figures, and junior trade minister Penny Mordant, who suggests the election, most popular with party members who will decide the winner.
Former Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch and Parliament’s foreign affairs committee chairman Tom Tugendhat are also in the running, but are trailing others in support of Conservative lawmakers.
A snap poll by the British public market research company Opinium – which did not find a say in the Conservative Party’s decision on the next prime minister – showed that Tugendhat was seen as the best performer by 36% of the audience.
in me #C4LeaderDebate Concluding statement, I set out how we will build a better future for our children and grandchildren.
see below and go https://t.co/3cXn1rnFNA to give your support. #Ready4Rishi pic.twitter.com/Uc58PDToKF
— ready for sage (@RishiSunak) 15 July 2022
Sunak was second with 24%, Mordaunt and Badenoch with 12% and Truss with 7%.
Whoever gets the job will pelt stones inflation and low economic growth, as well as a lack of public confidence in politics following Johnson’s scandal-ridden time in power.
Sunak and Truss dispute economic policy in a debate hosted by broadcaster Channel 4.
The truss has proposed a more than 30 billion pounds ($36 billion) annual increase in payroll tax and corporation tax proposed by Sunak, which will be funded by a slow reduction in government debt created in the meantime. COVID-19 Epidemic.
“We have to be honest, borrowing the way out of inflation is not a plan, it’s a fairy tale,” Sunak told Truss.
Rishi Sunak: “We have to be honest. Borrowing a way out of inflation is not a plan – it’s a fairy tale.”
Conservative leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss clash over how to tackle inflation.#C4LeaderDebate pic.twitter.com/GA8I4Y0E2m
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) 15 July 2022
Truss said that just as the economy was faltering, tax hikes would undermine business investment. “You can’t tax your way for grace,” she said.
Voter polls also show that the Conservatives are lagging far behind the opposition Labor Party.
Mordent told television viewers, “I am well aware that when my party elects a new leader, you are looking at us choosing our next prime minister. I hope you are at least one of us.” would like it.”
Tugendhat received applause from studio audiences for most clearly distancing himself from Johnson – nodding his head when asked if he trusts the prime minister – while Badenoch said that his opponent scolded Johnson. By never serving in the government, he had dodged difficult decisions.
down to two by July 21
Sunak, whose decision to leave the Treasury last week helped start a string of ministerial resignations that brought down Johnson, remains a favorite among his 358 Conservative parliamentary colleagues.
But his lead over Truss and Mordaunt is slim, and both could outrun him, depending on who MPs supporting the other candidates want to support. Fighting has become increasingly hostile as rivals fight to stay in the competition.
On Thursday, Attorney General Suella Braverman was kicked out of the race and has voiced her support behind the truce, who has also drawn support from David Frost who negotiated Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Times The newspaper reported that Johnson was soliciting defeated leadership candidates. to return “anyone other than the sage”,
British MP Penny Mordaunt. (Reuters)
Meanwhile, a lesser-known figure among the public at large, who has become a favorite of bookmakers, is facing increasing attacks on his experience from rival camps, with Frost saying he is not tough enough towards the EU. was an important issue. many conservatives.
Both Truss and Badenoch also criticized Mordant for taking a too liberal stance on transgender issues.
MPs’ ballots will resume on Monday with the candidate with the fewest votes each time until the last two are elected on July 21.
The new leader will then be chosen by the country’s 200,000 Conservative Party members and will be announced on 5 September.