Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss has a huge lead over rival Rishi Sunak in a new YouGov poll. The Foreign Secretary opened up a 24-point lead after 62 per cent of 730 Tory MPs polled said they would vote for her to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Former chancellor Mr. Sunak received 38 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Mrs Truss’s plan to deliver immediate tax cuts is likely to push up prices and risk a return to 1970s-style inflation, top economists warn, while Mr Sunak has declared himself a Thatcherite. Mrs Truss has pledged to deliver at least £30bn of tax cuts if she becomes prime minister, claiming: “My tax cuts will reduce inflation”. Dr Jo Michell, Associate Professor of Economics at UWE Bristol, told the Independent that Ms Truss was wrong to claim the tax cuts would reduce inflation. “The tax cuts she’s proposing are more likely to be inflationary, so on the balance of probability, her comments are false,” he said. “It’s definitely a gamble – saying the plan has no risk [of increasing inflation] it is ridiculous.”
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Trasso with 24 point lead over Sunak for next leader – poll
A YouGov poll of Tory members shows Liz Truss has a 24-point lead over leadership rival Rishi Sunak. Foreign Secretary Ms Truss received 62 per cent of the vote, while former chancellor Mr Sunak received 38 per cent. A total of 730 members of the Conservative Party were surveyed. Lamiat Sabin21 July 2022 18:00 1658421038
Truss says the first tax he would cut as Prime Minister is National Insurance
Liz Truss said the first tax she would cut as Prime Minister is National Insurance. Speaking during a campaign visit to Peterborough, the Foreign Secretary and Tory leadership hopeful said: “I will overturn the rise in national insurance. “I didn’t support it in the cabinet in the first place and I think it’s wrong to put a burden on hard working families at a very difficult time… “At the same time I will put a temporary moratorium on the green levy, saving money on fuel bills.” Lamiat Sabin21 July 2022 17:30 1658419238
Rishi Sunak rejects income tax cut
Rishi Sunak has abandoned promises to speed up income tax cuts in order to present himself as the more sensible candidate compared to his leadership rival Liz Truss. The former chancellor has slammed Foreign Secretary Ms Truss’ fiscal plans as a “fairy tale” economy. Now, to position himself as the nation’s most credible candidate with money, he is pushing his plans for a 1p cut to the 20pc basic tax rate. which will be moved from spring 2024 to autumn 2023. Read the full story here from deputy political editor Rob Merrick
Rishi Sunak rejects earlier income tax cut to counter Liz Truss’ popularity
Ex-Chancellor’s pitch ‘fiscally responsible’ – but under pressure to speed up planned 1p rate cut off 20p Lamiat Sabin21 July 2022 17:00 1658417438
Sunak team gives journalists pop ‘care package’ to Labour
Rishi Sunak’s team gave the political journalists a “care package” with small items such as sunscreen, a can of soda and a Twix bar. The SPF 30 bottle says: “Guaranteed protection against Labour…ready for Rishi…ready for sunshine”. And in another pop to the Labor Party, the would-be prime minister’s team wrote on a note card: ‘Looking forward to seeing you on the road. “Just something to make sure you protect yourself in this hot weather. “After all, we wouldn’t want anyone to blush.” The Twix and Sprite is a nod to the former chancellor’s favorite sugary pick-me-ups before he delivers the budget. The photo was posted by Daily Mirror Whitehall Correspondent Mikey Smith. Lamiat Sabin21 July 2022 16:30 1658415909
Boris Johnson defends his leadership before leaving No 10
Boris Johnson made a lengthy speech in the House of Commons today to defend his leadership ahead of his departure from Downing Street. On the final day before MPs leave Westminster for the summer break, the prime minister said he was “proud of our record” and promised his government would “continue to deliver in our final weeks”. He used a written ministerial statement, usually used for major official announcements, to outline his government’s achievements in areas such as Brexit, the response to Covid-19 and support for Ukraine. Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street for his final PMQs yesterday (PA wire) Johnson said the statement, which ran for more than 2,500 words, “captures why the millions of people who voted Conservative in 2019, many for the first time, were right to trust me and this Conservative government”. . He said: “I know that the Conservative government that comes after us will do what its predecessors have always done and meet the challenges of the day in the service of the British people.” In the running to succeed him are Secretary of State Liz Truss and former chancellor Rishi Sunak. The winner of the leadership contest will become prime minister from September 5. Lamiat Sabin 21 July 2022 16:05 1658413780
The Northern Ireland minister refuses to say whether he supports Truss or Sunak
Northern Ireland Secretary Siles Vara has refused to say whether he is backing Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. Speaking to media in Lisburn, Co Antrim, Mr Vara said he believed they were “both excellent candidates”. “Whoever is the eventual winner, I’m sure they will serve the UK very well,” he said. “I have raised with both of them the issue of Northern Ireland and the importance they place on the people here and they have made it absolutely clear to me that Northern Ireland is the upper hand there and they want to make sure they show up the executive. and running and that we can move forward so that Northern Ireland, along with the rest of the UK, benefits from all that is happening in terms of economic growth and prosperity.” Thomas Kingsley21 July 2022 15:29 1658412428
Watch: The highs and lows of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister
The highs and lows of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister Thomas Kingsley21 July 2022 15:07 1658411350
Liz Truss’ tax cuts are ‘ridiculous’ and risk 1970s-style inflation, economists warn
Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss’ plan to deliver immediate tax cuts is likely to push up prices and risk a return to 1970s-style inflation, top economists have warned. The Foreign Secretary has pledged to deliver at least £30bn of tax cuts if she becomes prime minister, claiming on Thursday: “My tax cuts will reduce inflation.” Vowing to challenge Treasury “orthodoxy” and the economic consensus, the new front-runner in the Tory contest insisted her tax cut plan was not “a gamble” and would not push soaring inflation even higher. But Dr Jo Michell, associate professor of economics at UWE Bristol, told the Independent that Ms Truss was wrong to claim the tax cuts would reduce inflation. Read more about this story from our political correspondent, Adam Forrest:
Liz Truss’ tax cuts are ‘ridiculous’ and risk 70s-style inflation, economists warn
Experts dismiss Tory candidate’s claim: ‘My tax cuts will reduce inflation’ Thomas Kingsley21 July 2022 14:49 1658410896
Watch: Jacob Rees-Mogg avoids answering whether Truss will have to call a general election if voted leader
Rees-Mogg refuses to answer whether Truss will have to call a general election if voted leader.mp4 Thomas Kingsley21 July 2022 14:41 1658409961
Change of prime minister could herald ‘new beginning’ in Brussels-London relationship
The EU hopes a change in the UK prime minister will herald a “new beginning” in relations between Brussels and London, a senior Irish minister has said. Foreign Secretary Simon Coveney has said he has no preference between Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership contest. However, he hoped that whoever succeeds Boris Johnson will move away from the controversial move to bypass the Northern Ireland Brexit Protocol through domestic legislation at Westminster. Mr Coveney was speaking in Belfast ahead of meetings with local politicians to discuss the ongoing power-sharing impasse at Stormont caused by the DUP’s refusal to rejoin a devolved body in protest over Irish Sea trade arrangements. Thomas KingsleyJuly 21, 2022 2:26 p.m
