In the race to replace outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, candidates outbid each other with promises ahead of the first round of voting in the Tory group. Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi promised on Sky News on Wednesday tax cuts and the construction of 100 schools in the country if he succeeded Johnson as conservative party leader and prime minister. The tone is sharper too: Favorite Rishi Sunak is accused of “dirty tricks”.
A few more of the eight candidates also tried to win over the 358 Tory MPs with promises of tax cuts. Ex-Finance Minister Sunak struck a slightly different note. He told the Telegraph that he wanted to continue ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s tradition of lowering taxes “responsibly”. “You have to earn what you spend first,” said Sunak, currently the favourite.
“Dirty Tricks” adopted
Sunak has been criticized by supporters of Secretary of State Liz Truss. Culture Minister Nadine Dorries accused Sunak’s team of “dirty tricks” to gain an advantage in the selection process. Truss is considered one of the favorites alongside Commerce Secretary Penny Mordaunt. Sunak supporters are accused of lending votes to former health minister Jeremy Hunt to push an easily defeated candidate to the final.
Brexit Secretary of State Jacob Rees-Mogg also attacked Sunak. The ex-treasury secretary pushed through “economically damaging” tax hikes, Rees-Mogg told Sky News. He had even previously compared Sunak’s tax policy to socialism, a term of abuse used by British conservatives. Both Dorries and Rees-Mogg are considered to be staunch supporters of Johnson. Both spoke in favor of Truss as his successor.
Johnson stabbed in the back
Sunak is accused of stabbing Johnson in the back when he was finance minister. Media speculated that Johnson supporters therefore worked to bring down Sunak. Also in the running are General Counsel Suella Braverman, Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Tom Tugendhat, ex-Health Minister Hunt and MP Kemi Badenoch.
The second round of the selection process starts on Wednesday. From 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CEST), Tory MPs are called to vote. The results are expected at 6 p.m. (CEST). Only those who get 30 votes or more remain in the race. Group voting continues until only two candidates remain. These will then have to face a second round of party members in the summer. A successor to Johnson will be chosen on September 5.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
