Rishi Sunak Warns Of Tory Defeat Over Failure To Offer Public Financial Support

Former Chancellor and leadership candidate Rishi Sunak warned the Conservative Party on Tuesday of an electoral defeat if the incoming government failed to offer support to the public over soaring energy bills.

Sunak and his rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss met with Tory party members during a campaign event in Darlington, northeast England, with the issues of rising energy bills and the soaring cost of living dominating the event and members questioning the contenders over their tax policies and support given to struggling families.

Truss caused controversy over her failure to commit to offering any help for those families and individuals struggling to pay their energy bills, which are set to increase markedly in October and again in January next year, instead assuring members she would gain more seats as prime minister in the next election.

"There's a fixed pie. We have to share out the pie and we have to give out the money and hand out. My view is that we can grow the pie, and having lower taxes actually helps us generate more income into the economy so there is more money to go around. What I fundamentally don't agree with is putting up taxes and then also giving out benefits. I think that is the wrong approach," she said.

"As (former Prime Minister Tony) Blair himself would say, things can only get better. If you select me to be your prime minister, I will work to take new seats in the north-east – Wansbeck, I will work to take Sunderland, and I will work to win big. And I know we can do it," Truss added.

Sunak, however, criticized his rival's failure to offer financial support and relief to those families facing a steep rise in the cost of living and warned Tory members at the event and across the country that the Conservative Party would be "absolutely hammered" in the next election over its legacy in failing to prevent the rise in poverty across the UK.

"Our support should be targeted, not on massive tax cuts for very wealthy people, it should be targeted on helping the people who most need it. And if we don't do that, I can tell you not only will millions of people suffer, we will get absolutely hammered when it comes to an election. The British people will not forgive us for not doing that," he said.

Sunak, however, backtracked on a previous pledge he made in May in which he offered a £15 billion ($18.1 billion) support package. At Darlington, he admitted the support package would not be as extensive as he promised and that it would exclusively focus on those in most need.

"I don't think that will be necessary because what we are talking about now...is the extra increase on top of what we thought. And we already thought bills were going to go up to £3,000 when we announced that support," he said.

During the event, Truss indicated her intention to vote to end the privileges committee inquiry into whether outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson lied to lawmakers over the Partygate scandal, telling the audience "I don't believe he misled parliament."

The foreign secretary also failed to say whether Johnson was to blame for his downfall, while Sunak believed Johnson's conduct and behavior following the Partygate and sexual abuse scandals at Downing Street were the reasons for his fall from grace. ​​​​​​​

Darlington is the first "red wall" seat or traditionally Labour Party supporting constituency to host a Conservative Party campaign event following the party's victory in the 2019 general election. However, when asked who would they vote for, 40% of the audience were undecided, a number higher than polls had predicted. -