Liz Truss’ bid for Tory leadership received a huge boost, while her rival Rishi Sunak was accused of ‘walking out the door’ of Boris Johnson’s cabinet.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace gave Ms Truss his blessing after both candidates faced a quirk in the first official hustings of Conservative members in Leeds.
They were polled on a wide range of policy areas – and their predictions for the 2022 Women’s European Championship final – as they tried to lure Northern voters into the race for No. 10.
The event, hosted by LBC’s Nick Ferrari, was the first of 12 sessions for the revelers across the country to question the final two contenders.
Voting among party members for the next Tory leader and prime minister closes on September 2.
Although they didn’t speak directly to each other, tax remained a major dividing line between the couple.
Mr Sunak took a veiled swipe at Ms Truss by saying he would not ‘engage in a spree, borrowing tens and tens of billions of pounds of unfunded pledges and putting them on the country’s credit card’ .
Meanwhile, Ms Truss criticized windfalls, something Mr Sunak once imposed on energy companies as Chancellor.
She said: ‘I don’t believe in windfalls because they postpone future investments.
“What we should be doing is encouraging Shell and other companies to invest in the UK because we need to increase our productivity, we need capital investment.”
But she avoided being stuck with possible changes in inheritance tax.
“I don’t think our tax system in Britain works. It’s too complicated. It’s even more complicated than the US tax system that we know is a nightmare,” she said.
“So what I would do is a complete overhaul of the tax system. I want to make it fairer for families, so if people take time off to take care of children or older relatives, they won’t be punished. And in that review I would also look at inheritance tax.’
The two candidates kicked off the event by giving speeches to the public, with Ms Truss taking advantage of her Yorkshire roots.
Referring to her upbringing in Leeds, she said it was “fantastic” to be in her “old stew”, adding that she hoped none of her former teachers were in the audience.
She also mentioned her move to Norfolk, the location of her constituency, and the fact that she has become a supporter of Norwich City FC.
Mrs Truss said: ‘I really want us to channel the spirit of Don Revie’ – a former manager of Leeds United and England – because ‘we have to win’.
“And, my friends, we can beat Keir Starmer, who is a condescending plastic patriot,” she added.
Sunak said he was “having the time of my life” and campaigning to become the country’s next leader.
He outlined his vision to tackle the NHS waiting lists, ‘catch’ inflation and ‘restore confidence, rebuild the economy, reunite our country’.
The former chancellor acknowledged that he was chasing Ms Truss in the polls, but vowed to fight for every vote.
He said: ‘We will have to call on swing voters in every part of our country.
“And I believe with all my heart that I am the person, I am the candidate, who will give our party the best chance of securing that victory.”
Recent YouGov polls have suggested that Mr Sunak has a significant edge over his rival among swing voters.
These include 2019 Tory voters leaving the party, even though both candidates are “significantly unpopular” with the public as a whole.
Mr Sunak later denied that his pledge to cut VAT on utility bills was a turnaround, saying ‘it is reasonable that there is more than we can do’.
He also said he would not support the move of the House of Lords, adding: “I don’t think it makes sense for the practicality of government to tear us apart.”
And he proposed a “buyer cartel” where “everyone would agree to pay a lump sum for Russian energy,” to rob Moscow of “revenues that finance its war effort.”
Mrs Truss told the hustings she would return the whips office to 12 Downing Street.
She also urged that “single-sex spaces should be protected,” especially for young people.
In a speech to the foreign minister, an audience member called for a policy that guarantees girls in every school in the country can use the toilet in a safe environment.
Mrs. Truss replied, ‘I fully agree with you. I have tried to make it clear that as a minister for women I have been very clear that spaces for single people need to be protected, especially for young people, but also for… vulnerable women in domestic violence shelters, for example.
“It’s a tough time being a teenager, a young girl, and you should be able to have the privacy you need in your own toilet. So I agree with you 100% and I would get that done.’
Speaking to The Sun, Wallace described the Secretary of State as “authentic, honest and experienced” with the “integrity” for the top job.
The Defense Secretary was initially a favorite among the Tory base to succeed Mr Johnson as Prime Minister.
But he quickly confirmed that he would remain in his cabinet position and remained in office during a mass exodus of 50 members of the government earlier this month.
“I don’t have the luxury as Defense Secretary to just walk out the door — I have a role to play in keeping this country safe,” he said.
“And the keeper of the markets, you know, the keeper of our economy, is the chancellor.”
Mr Sunak’s resignation from Chancellor was seen as instrumental in forcing Mr Johnson’s resignation
Wallace also wrote in The Times that Mrs. Truss was “a winner not because she is a slick salesman, but because she is authentic.”
Policy issues aside, both leadership candidates were asked how they expect the Lionesses to fare in their highly anticipated clash with Germany at Wembley on Sunday.
Ms Truss said she thought it would be 2-0 for England, adding that she plans to attend with the German Foreign Minister so “there will be a huge egg on my face if that doesn’t work.”
Sunak said the Lionesses would “obviously” emerge victorious.
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