Tory leadership hopeful Rishi Sunak has said he sees Margaret Thatcher as a role model for how to run the country if he becomes prime minister.
He said he saw parallels between his own upbringing and that of the Iron Lady, and said she grew up over her father’s grocery store while he helped in his mother’s pharmacy.
“We will cut taxes and we will do it responsibly,” he said in his first campaign interview.
‘That’s my economic approach. I would describe it as common sense Thatcherism.
“I believe she would have.”
Baroness Thatcher, the UK’s first female Prime Minister, was in office from 4 May 1979 to 28 November 1990.
Her tenure was controversial, she chaired the privatization of state enterprises, the mass sale of social housing and the reduction of union power.
A polarizing figure, she’s still popular with many Tories – and Mr. Sunak seems to be hoping he can capitalize on some of that nostalgia.
He told the Telegraph that he followed her approach more than his rivals, as he prioritized inflation, rather than just saying he would cut taxes immediately — leading some to dismiss him as a true conservative.
The candidate field was officially confirmed tonight, with eight people on the ballot – excluding Sajid Javid, who was out of the running.
Rishi Sunak seems to be in the lead so far, with Boris Johnson’s allies said they support Liz Truss as a ‘Stop Rishi’ candidate.
Earlier today at the launch of his campaign, there was an awkward moment when people began to captivate Sky journalist Beth Rigby.
She had brought up previous controversies including his Covid fine and his billionaire wife Akshata Murty does not pay taxes on her overseas income because she is registered as a nom dom – something she has now changed.
Her microphone appeared to have been cut off when she asked the question, saying he was a “corrosive” figure to some, leading some to speculate it was because of the critical question itself.
But it was shown on BBC and Sky and it is believed to have been a technical issue.
Rishi Sunak’s response was perfectly audible as he said he had already responded to these issues when they came up.
His rivals in the leadership race also criticized some of his views, with Jeremy Hunt saying he was “concerned” that his economic policies would send the country “into recession”.
The former health minister told LBC radio: “Rishi Sunak is raising the corporate tax rate and it will be higher than not only America or Japan, but France and Germany.
“And I’m afraid we’re headed for a recession on our current trajectory and we’re going to stay there too long…
“I was very concerned when he announced his budget… What struck me was this cut in the growth forecast for next year.”
Contact our news team by sending an email to: [email protected]†
For more stories like this, check our news page†