Conservative Party leadership - live: Sunak and Truss in Birmingham as contest reaches final stages
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With only a week and a half until the next Prime Minister of the UK is announced, the finish line for the Tory leadership contest is in sight.
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have been fighting for the past two months to prove that Conservative Party members should lend their vote to them, and now they are in their last round of appearances to make the final push.
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Hide AdThe candidiates found themselves in Birmingham for the latest round of hustings.
Ms Truss and Mr Sunak once again clashed heads on their plans for combating the rising cost of living.
Ms Truss backed her tax-cutting plan, saying: “I give you the example of Britain where we cut corporation tax and we saw revenues increase.
“There is an example of where cutting taxes actually helped us attract more revenue into the Treasury and more growth into the economy.
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Hide Ad“This whole language of ‘unfunded’ tax cuts implies the static model, the so-called abacus economics that the Treasury orthodoxy has promoted for years, but it hasn’t worked in our economy because what we have ended up with is high tax, high spending and low growth.
“That is not a sustainable model for Britain’s future.”
Mr Sunak took aim at his opponent’s plans, saying: “I think unfunded tax cuts are wrong and do you know what? Her [Margaret Thatcher] chancellor Nigel Lawson agrees with me, the head of her policy unit agrees with me, Norman Lamont agrees with me.
“All of these people who understood Margaret Thatcher’s economics are supporting my economic plan because it is the right one for our country and it is a Conservative approach to managing the economy.”
Ms Truss also refused to answer whether or not she would introduce a new ethics adviser if she were to be voted into power.
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Hide AdWhen asked, the Foreign Secretary said: “I would put in place, if I was elected as prime minister, a strong chief whip.
“I would return them to Number 12 Downing Street so they are at the heart of Government and making sure there is zero tolerance of misbehaviour.”
She added: “I do think one of the problems we have got in this country in the way we approach things is we have numerous advisers and independent bodies, and rules and regulations.
“For me it’s about understanding the difference between right and wrong, and I am somebody who has always acted with integrity, I have always been clear about what I will do, I have followed through on my promises and been honest about the situation, and that is what I would do as prime minister.”
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Hide AdWho is favourite to win the contest?
Currently, Ms Truss is favourite to win the Tory leadership contest, with Paddy Power currently giving odds of 1/50 for the Foreign Minister becoming party leader and Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak’s odds currently sit at 10/1.
Latest updates on Tory leadership race
Nadhim Zahawi confirms taxes will go up
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has warned that next year will be “really hard” for the economy and confirmed that taxes will go up.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “Yes, but, at the same time, we’ve had £407 billion input to help the economy and people’s livelihoods and life to get through the pandemic.
“We’ve just come out of the equivalent of a world war. We have to rebuild the economy and return to growth – that is what your listeners will want me to focus on.
“It’s my first day in the job … and I need to be able to just make sure I go back, review everything; nothing is off the table.
“I’ll come back on your programme and happily talk about where I think we can do more on taxes.
“We are determined to do that, as was my predecessor – he was determined to do that on personal taxation, and of course on other taxes as well.”
‘I have no choice but to tender my resignation’: Will Quince’s letter to PM in full
In his letter tendering his resignation as children and families minister, Will Quince said he had “no choice” after he appeared on television to defend Boris Johnson using Downing Street briefings “which have now been found to be inaccurate”.
“Dear Prime Minister. Thank you for meeting with me yesterday evening and for your sincere apology regarding the briefings I received from No 10 ahead of Monday’s media round, which we now know to be inaccurate.
“It is with great sadness and regret that I feel that I have no choice but to tender my resignation as minister for children and families as I accepted and repeated those assurances in good faith.
“It has been an honour to serve in government since 2019 at both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education.
“Reaching this decision has not been easy. Stepping away from a job I love, where we are working every day to improve the life chances of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people up and down our country, pains me greatly.
“I will miss it hugely but pledge to do all I can to continue this important work from the backbenches.
“I would like to take this opportunity to put on record my sincere thanks to the hundreds of dedicated and hard-working civil servants with whom it has been a pleasure to work.”
Children and families minister says ‘with great sadness’ he has decided to resign
Children and families minister Will Quince has resigned, saying he “no choice” after he appeared on television to defend Boris Johnson using Number 10 briefings “which have now been found to be inaccurate”.
Tory MP Laura Trott resigns from her PPS role
Laura Trott has resigned her role as parliamentary private secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport.
She said in a Facebook post: “Trust in politics is – and must always be – of the upmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost.
“Thank you to all of you who have written to me expressing your views. I have read them carefully, and taken them into consideration as part of my decision.
“I have, and will always, put the residents of Sevenoaks and Swanley front and centre of my work in Westminster.”
Labour calls for general election as the ‘country is stuck'
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the Labour Party wants a general election rather than a change of leadership in the Conservatives as the “country is stuck”.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves talking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme“I don’t think that you’re going to have reinvigoration by just a change at the top of the Conservative Party.
“Boris Johnson has corrupted the Conservative Party and the problem is that his ministers and his MPs are all complicit in it.
“I’ll welcome the fact that some ministers resigned yesterday, but, frankly, what has taken them so long?”
Lib Dem leader: Tories must do their ‘patriotic duty’ and get rid of PM
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has said the Conservatives must do their “patriotic duty” and “get rid of Boris Johnson today”.
He said that when the Lib Dems beat the Tories in the recent Tiverton and Honiton by-election it was “very clear” that lifelong Conservative voters were “fed up”, not just of Mr Johnson, but of the whole party.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey talking to BBC Breakfast“He really must go and the Conservative Party have got to do their patriotic duty and get rid of Boris Johnson today.”
Zahawi denies threatening to resign in order to secure chancellor job
Nadhim Zahawi has denied that he threatened to resign from the Cabinet in order to secure the Chancellor role.
He told Sky News: “No, I didn’t threaten to resign at all.”
Put to him that Liz Truss was reportedly in line for Chancellor, but Mr Zahawi said he would step down if he did not get the job, he said: “That is not true.”
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