While Mr Sunak received loud applause and applause from the London audience, Ms Truss is a pioneer across the country.
While Mr Sunak received loud applause and applause from the London audience, Ms Truss is a pioneer across the country.
After the window closed for Conservative Party members to vote for their new leader and the country’s prime minister, the candidates, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, held a meeting of voting members at a packed Wembley Arena in London on Wednesday. made his final pitch.
According to polls held earlier this month, Mr Sunak, 42, received loud applause and cheers from London audiences, while Ms Truss, 47, is leading across the country. He is also a favorite according to the odds of the bookmakers. Party members have until 5 p.m. local time to vote on Friday – and have the option of changing the votes cast earlier.
Mr Sunak’s key policy has been to tackle inflation immediately, and on Friday he claimed that inflation, which is now over 10%, would fall faster under his plan than any alternative. He opposed borrowing more to cut taxes, saying the idea was not “conservative”, and that investors should not lose faith in the UK.
Ms Truss promised she would not introduce new taxes, simplify the tax code and reverse the Johnson administration’s national insurance hike and ban a ‘green levy’ on energy bills. She also said she would focus on the supply side of energy (including suggesting the use of more nuclear power, including fracking in areas that support it, more oil and gas from the North Sea).
Truss says US is UK’s closest ally
When asked about foreign policy regarding UK-US relations on Wednesday, Truss declined to say whether former US President Donald Trump was “friend or foe”. Last week, she said the “jury is out” on whether one of Britain’s closest allies, French President Emmanuel Macron, was friend or foe. “As far as I can tell, this is not a comment,” she said on Wednesday, defending her remarks about Mr Macron.
However, Ms Truss said the US was the UK’s “closest ally” and had met with both Mr Trump and US President Joe Biden.
“Now that [ Mr Biden ] In office and my priority is working to promote freedom and democracy around the world and to work with our American allies who face some very serious threats, including an assertive China, a belligerent Russia. is…” she said, whoever the leader of America or France she could work with.
Ms Truss was skeptical about her “special relationship” with the US, according to a report published on 29 August. The Financial Times.
Speaking to reporters during a virtual briefing on Wednesday, John Kirby, the White House’s National Security Council strategic communications coordinator, said bilateral ties with the UK will remain special and the US looks forward to working with the next prime minister . Tea
On Chinese President Xi Jinping, Ms Truss said she would not use the word “enemy”, but said she was “concerned about China’s assertiveness” and to avoid relying on a strategic group of economies). on China.
In reference to a question on Israel’s security, Ms Truss said preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was a top priority.
Mr. Sunak’s section did not include a comprehensive discussion on foreign policy. In the context of migration, he referred to his plans to offer trade, visas and financial aid to countries repatriating asylum seekers in Britain whose claims had failed. He also said that he would sign an agreement with Rwanda to bring the asylum seekers back on track. In June, the European Court of Human Rights intervened to block the first deportation flight to Rwanda from leaving the UK. Mr Sunak said that if elected, Rwanda will make whatever legal changes are necessary to make the plan work.
The craze on energy rationing is more hawkish
Mr Sunak said he was glad he introduced unexpected taxes on energy companies in the UK and did not rule out energy rationing (as France is considering), which Ms Truss rejected. She also said that she would not increase the unexpected taxes if elected.
Both candidates pushed back against political correctness, and “awake” culture, as they have done in this month’s election.
Mr. Sunak’s parents – both expatriates from Africa – were in the audience at Hastings, as was his Indian wife, Akshata Murthy, daughter of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy.
Immigration stories of his parents and his mother’s pharmacy business are regular features in his campaign speeches. On Wednesday, he thanked his parents.
“And I’m incredibly grateful that 18 years ago, you decided to drop your heels and take a chance on the little kid with the backpack,” he told Ms. Murthy.