During the first televised debate of the Tory leadership election, frontrunners argued over how best to pay for public services and control inflation.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss criticized tax increases enacted by ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak as “wrong” and vowed to roll them back.
Mr. Sunak, however, argued that they were necessary to fund the NHS and accused her of believing in economic “fairy tales.”
Rivals also argued about Boris Johnson, trans rights, and political trust.
This weekend’s first of two Channel 4 television debates featured all five surviving candidates for the Conservative leadership. They come before the next round of voting by members of Congress on Monday.
New week, Tory MPs will narrow the field down to two candidates, after which approximately 160,000 Tory members will vote by mail for the party’s next leader.
During a heated 90-minute debate, candidates were pressed on how they would support public services and assist people with the rising cost of living during a period of surging inflation.
Mr. Sunak, who is presently in first place among MPs, was compelled to justify tax increases enacted during his tenure as chancellors, such as April’s increase in National Insurance to fund social care and the NHS.
Ms. Truss, who placed third in the most recent round of voting by MPs on Thursday, stated that the increase was “incorrect” and that she had “called it out” in the cabinet.
She stated that if elected, she would reverse the increase and remove green levies from energy bills, stating she would pay for it by extending the “Covid debt” of the United Kingdom.
The competition to become our next prime minister has reached a decisive stage.
By Wednesday, Conservative MPs will have narrowed the list down to two candidates, who will subsequently be presented to Conservative party members during the summer.
There is plenty at stake over the next few days, as was evident in the first television discussion.
The interactions stood out to me for three reasons.
To begin with, the Conservative Party is eager to get past Boris Johnson.
Although it has only been eight days since Mr. Johnson tendered his resignation, the candidates for his replacement are eager to begin the new chapter.
However, Mr. Sunak dismissed her ideas, stating that there was “no such thing as Covid debt” and warning against an “unfunded frenzy” of tax cuts, adding that “borrowing your way out of inflation is not a plan, it’s a fairytale.”
Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, who is presently in second place, stated that her economic plan, which includes indexing income tax thresholds to inflation, is centered on “growth and competitiveness”
When Mr. Sunak challenged her on the fact that her plans would necessitate additional borrowing, she denied that she had pledged to “lower a weight of taxes” and instead stated, “people need help today.”
“In terms of tax competitiveness, we will be one of the least competitive nations by April of next year. This cannot be let to occur “She continued.
