Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak clash in final UK leadership debate

LONDON  Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, the remaining contenders in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister of the UK, faced off against each other Wednesday in the final debate before the winner is announced next week. The debate was held at Wembley Arena in north-west London and witnessed Sunak and Truss tussle over issues surrounding taxes, energy and the cost of living. Truss, the foreign secretary and frontrunner of the leadership contest, ruled out offering energy rationing to support struggling families in the coming winter despite a worsening cost of living crisis that has seen inflation skyrocket and wages plummet. Asked by moderator and radio show host Nick Ferrari whether she would rule out energy rationing, Truss responded by saying: “I do rule that out. Yes.” On the issue of introducing new windfall tax impositions, Truss said “yes, no new taxes” when asked if she would implement new tax policies as incumbent Boris Johnson did in 2019. Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor of the exchequer and self-described underdog of the race, took a more cautious approach when it came to addressing the crisis, warning that “we shouldn’t rule anything out.” “The challenges we face with this crisis are significant. Many European countries are looking at how we can all optimize our energy usage. That is a sensible thing for us to be doing as a country,” Sunak said. Sunak’s approach is reminiscent of the one taken by the French government after it warned that energy rationing may need to be implemented following Russia’s cutting off of gas supplies in reaction to international sanctions over its war against Ukraine. Under the UK government’s “worst-case scenario,” businesses and households could face electricity blackouts in the coming winter over growing uncertainty surrounding power supplies. On Sept. 5, the Conservative Party membership will select a new leader of the party as well as the new prime minister of the UK. Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.

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UK's Sunak, Truss spar over tax, China in TV debate

Last two candidates in the race to succeed British PM Boris Johnson clash in a televised debate, tearing into each other's tax, spending plans and China policy.

Snap opinion poll shows 39% of the British public thought Sunak performed best during the debate, compared with 38% who said Truss did. (Reuters)

Britain's two prime ministerial contenders have clashed fiercely over tax, China, and character in their first head-to-head televised debate, as Rishi Sunak seeks to peg back the frontrunner Liz Truss.

The primetime debate on Monday kicked off a crucial 12-day period featuring three such live TV duels and four husting events in front of Conservative party members who will decide the contest and begin receiving their postal votes next week.

The weeks-old Tory leadership contest to replace outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson has turned increasingly bitter, with both camps fiercely briefing against each other.

Monday's BBC debate showcased that acrimony, with former finance minister Sunak savaging Foreign Secretary Truss' plans to slash taxes immediately –– a key dividing line between the pair.

"I don't think that's right, I don't think it's responsible and it's certainly not Conservative," he interjected as she detailed her proposals.

"If we follow Rishi's plans, we are headed for a recession," Truss replied, accusing him of raising taxes "to the highest rate for 70 years".

The leadership contest comes as Britain grapples with a cost-of-living crisis that has seen inflation surge to a 40-year high.

Sunak has vowed to curb this before cutting taxes, and called Truss' plans "a short-term sugar rush."

Grassroots focus

Sunak's resignation as finance minister earlier this month over Johnson's scandal-hit leadership helped spark the downfall of the outgoing premier. That has angered some of the party grassroots.

Meanwhile, questions about his family's tax affairs and his prior decision to retain US residency have also dented his popularity.

Truss initially struggled to gain momentum, but eventually made the run-off by winning over the party's right-wing MPs with vows to cut tax and deregulate.

A snap poll showed Conservative voters thought Truss edged Monday's debate, by 47 to 38 percent.

'Tough stance' against China 

Sunak announced plans to crack down on China's influence, calling it the "number-one threat" to domestic and global security.

That followed Truss accusing him of being soft on UK adversaries when he was finance minister.

"I'm delighted that you've come around to my way of thinking," she told Sunak as the issue featured at the debate.

Truss insisted his "tougher stance" had been driven by her Foreign Office tenure, but that as recently as a month ago Sunak was "pushing for closer trade relationships with China."

Sunak said she herself had been "on a journey" after previously wanting close ties with Beijing.

"Encouraging Sinophobia and letting their people believe that the UK should blame and fear China when they are suffering from internal woes is total nonsense but an easy choice," China's state-backed Global Times said, citing analysts. 

Source: AFP

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