Rishi Sunak has accused Liz Truss of failing to spot Brexit opportunities to help the UK’s farmers after the foreign secretary vowed to “unleash” the industry through deregulation. “Liz Truss’ announcement today does nothing for farmers and food,” a spokesperson for Team Sunak said. “She blames Brexit and fails to see the opportunities from it to help farmers and food production”. Earlier Mr Sunak said his pledge to cut tax is “perfectly affordable” as he defended his promise to reduce the basic rate to 16 per cent by the end of the next parliament if he becomes prime minister. The former chancellor spoke to the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme earlier and insisted that it would be feasible to cut taxes while “growing public spending at a disciplined level and reducing our borrowing.” Elsewhere in the Tory leadership campaign, Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, vowed to “unleash” British farming through deregulation and won the backing of another high-profile MP. Both candidates will face a grilling in the second of 12 official hustings over the summer in Exeter at 7pm.
Key Points
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Sunak would ‘quickly’ reappoint ethics adviser
Rishi Sunak said he would quickly reappoint an independent adviser “to make sure that ministers and the government are held to account for their behaviour” when asked if Chris Pincher should resign. Speaking to reporters in Devon, Mr Sunak was asked if Chris Pincher should resign his seat in the Commons in order to restore trust. Mr Pincher was accused of groping two people at the Carlton Club in London and has since had the Conservative whip withdrawn. Mr Sunak said: “I think trust is really important and standards are really important in public life. I think honesty is important. And that’s why in this leadership campaign, even though it’s not easy for me, I want to be honest about some of the challenges we face and what’s going to be required to fix them. “Now in terms of restoring trust into public life I would want to reappoint quickly an independent adviser to make sure that ministers and the government are held to account for their behaviour. “That’s something that’s important to me and I think the outside world needs to see that it’s important to Government. I will lead a government that does do exactly that.” Asked about improving access to women’s sport, Mr Sunak said: “As chancellor I was pleased to make sure that we brought the Rugby World Cup for women to the UK and hopefully we can do more things like that when it comes to football and other sports.” Matt Mathers1 August 2022 13:21 1659355203
Opinion: Has this government learnt nothing from what happened to Mo Farah?
Priti Patel and her colleagues push the lie that refugees are purely economic migrants seeking a more prosperous life, writes Tim Farron Read Tim’s full piece below:
Has this government learnt nothing from what happened to Mo Farah? | Tim Farron
Priti Patel and her colleagues push the lie that refugees are purely economic migrants seeking a more prosperous life, writes Tim Farron Matt Mathers1 August 2022 13:00 1659354303
Opinion: We need to rediscover the inclusive national spirit of the 2012 London Olympics
We’ve seen a nation that appeared so at ease with itself lose its sense of unity, writes Sadiq Khan. Read his full piece below:
We need to recover the inclusive spirit of the 2012 London Olympics | Sadiq Khan
We’ve seen a nation that appeared so at ease with itself lose its sense of unity, writes Sadiq Khan Matt Mathers1 August 2022 12:45 1659352803
Opinion: The richest Commonwealth countries mist do more on climate change
The Commonwealth Charter’s claims of “concern for the vulnerable” ring hollow to those on the front line of the climate crisis, writes Mohamed Adow. Read his full piece here:
The richest Commonwealth nations must do more to tackle climate change | Mohamed Adow
The Commonwealth Charter’s claims of ‘concern for the vulnerable’ ring hollow to those on the front line of the climate crisis, writes Mohamed Adow Matt Mathers1 August 2022 12:20 1659351363
Sunak: Truss failing to see Brexit opportunities to help farmers
Liz Truss is failing to see Brexit opportunities to help the UK’s farmers, Rishi Sunak’s campaign has said. It comes after the foreign secretary vowed to “unleash” British farming through deregulation. “Liz Truss’ announcement today does nothing for farmers and food,” a spokesperson for Team Sunak said. “She blames Brexit and fails to see the opportunities from it to help farmers and food production”. Matt Mathers1 August 2022 11:56 1659350261
ICYMI: Truss ‘didn’t care’ if Boris Johnson won 2019 Tory leadership bid but ‘wanted to be on winning side’
A senior Tory MP says Ms Truss wanted to avoid being on ‘the wrong side’ again, having been scarred by opposing Brexit
Liz Truss ‘didn’t care’ if Boris Johnson won 2019 Tory leadership bid
A senior Tory MP says Ms Truss wanted to avoid being on ‘the wrong side’ again, having been scarred by opposing Brexit Matt Mathers1 August 2022 11:37 1659349308
Government told to act as oil and gas giants refuse to commit to CO2 cuts demanded by watchdog
The North Sea oil and gas giants are refusing to commit to the carbon emissions cuts demanded by the UK’s watchdog, triggering calls for the government to force them to act. Our deputy politics editor Rob Merrick has this exclusive report:
Oil and gas giants refuse to commit to CO2 cuts demanded by watchdog
Exclusive: Bosses of BP, Shell and Harbour Energy under fire after ducking call to slash emissions by 68 per cent by 2030 Matt Mathers1 August 2022 11:21 1659348568
Coffey: Image of Sunak stabbing Johnson not part of Truss campaign
As we’ve been reporting, Thérèse Coffey, the work and pension secretary, has been out on the broadcast round this morning. She is supporting Liz Truss in the Tory leadership contest and said the foreign secretary’s campaign had nothing to do with an image circulating on social media showing her rival, Rishi Sunak, stabbing Boris Johnson in the back. The image was retweeted by Nadine Dorries, the Johnson ultra-loyalist who is also supporting Truss. Coffey said: “Well, I wouldn’t have done it. The Liz for Leader campaign certainly didn’t do it. Nadine chose to do it. I’ve made her aware that many colleagues were upset by it. “It’s for Nadine to decide how she runs her social media. But all I say is that I’m really here to focus on Liz rather than other news.” Matt Mathers1 August 2022 11:09 1659347224
Minister rejects call for bank holiday to celebrate Lionesses’ win
A government minister has said people don’t need an extra day off to celebrate the England women’s team winning the Euro final as she rejected calls for a bank holiday. Thérèse Coffey, the work and pension secretary, told LBC fans would “find their own way to celebrate” after the Lionesses’ historic victory over Germany last night. Calls had been growing for a national holiday to celebrate prior to England’s 2-1 extra-time victory at Wembley. Matt Mathers1 August 2022 10:47 1659345461
We won’t offer unfunded tax cuts, Sunak supporter says
Conservative former Treasury minister John Glen, who is supporting Rishi Sunak, said “we can’t offer unfunded tax cuts at this point given the inflationary risk”. Asked about work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey’s description of Mr Sunak’s income tax announcement as “manana promises”, Mr Glen told Times Radio: “No it doesn’t sting, it’s just not really true to the facts. “What Rishi has set out today is a radical vision of reducing income tax through the next Parliament based on growth, growth that can be accounted for….We can’t offer unfunded tax cuts at this point given the inflationary risk.” He added: “It would be much easier for him to court popularity by offering an immediate sugar rush of tax cuts, but I would contend that we can’t afford that, the public finances demonstrate that and we’ve never had inflation like this for 40 years. This isn’t the time to be taking those sorts of risks on the hope that it will somehow generate a different outcome.” Matt Mathers1 August 2022 10:17
