Tory leadership rivals Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have set out competing plans to deal with the economic recession in their latest TV clash.

UK Tory leadership Race: Sunak, Truss set out competing plans on economic recession

Former chancellor Sajid Javid has backed Liz Truss to become the next Conservative leader, calling for urgent tax cuts in an attack on her rival Rishi Sunak's economic plans.

WION Dispatch | Tory leadership race: Sajid Javid endorses Liz Truss's bid to be PM

<p>Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister.</p>

<p>Leading to a wave of resignations, Javid resigned as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson's government in early July at the same time as former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.</p>

<p>Javid said in an article published in The Times on Wednesday "After careful consideration, it is clear to me that Liz Truss is best placed to pass these tests."</p>

<p>Praising Truss' "sharp focus and willingness to challenge the status quo", Javid said that the new prime minister would need to swiftly reunite the party.</p>

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<p>Slamming Sunak for not cutting taxes, Javid challenged his approach to the economy and said we need to show "we are rising to the challenges of our times".</p>

<p>Other than Javid, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, international trade minister Penny Mordaunt, Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat, and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis have backed Truss.</p>

<p>Citing a series of scandals and missteps over the last 12 months, the ruling Conservative Party is choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to announce his resignation when ministers resigned en masse from his government.</p>

<p>With a winner to be announced on September 5, the party's members will vote by postal ballot or online over the next few weeks.</p>

<p>Truss has extended her lead in the race to be Britain's next leader, with 58 per cent of participants showing support for Truss in a survey of 1,003 party members.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister.

Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister. Leading to a wave of resignations, Javid resigned as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson's government in early July at the same time as former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Javid said in an article published in The Times on Wednesday "After careful consideration, it is clear to me that Liz Truss is best placed to pass these tests." Praising Truss' "sharp focus and willingness to challenge the status quo", Javid said that the new prime minister would need to swiftly reunite the party. × Slamming Sunak for not cutting taxes, Javid challenged his approach to the economy and said we need to show "we are rising to the challenges of our times". Other than Javid, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, international trade minister Penny Mordaunt, Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat, and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis have backed Truss. Citing a series of scandals and missteps over the last 12 months, the ruling Conservative Party is choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to announce his resignation when ministers resigned en masse from his government. With a winner to be announced on September 5, the party's members will vote by postal ballot or online over the next few weeks. Truss has extended her lead in the race to be Britain's next leader, with 58 per cent of participants showing support for Truss in a survey of 1,003 party members. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announces his support for Liz Truss

In a month from now, the United Kingdom will have its new Prime Minister and the two hopefuls who are vying to replace Boris Johnson are former chancellor Rishi Sunak and UK foreign secretary Liz Truss. Both of them will face Tory faithful tonight in their third hustling in Cardiff.

UK Tory leadership race | Liz Truss leads conservative polls

<p>After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. A new survey said the foreign secretary had extended her lead over former finance minister Rishi Sunak as Tory members begin voting for a new party leader by post and online this week. 60 per cent of party members said they would vote for her in comparison to 26 per cent who supported Sunak, according to a YouGov poll for The Times.</p>

<p>Following her remarks alleging First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was an "attention seeker", her lead had narrowed from more than 20 points to just five.</p>

<p>Denouncing her remarks, the Scottish National Party (SNP) said it will continue to press for a second referendum on independence.</p>

<p>Calling her comments "obnoxious", Sturgeon's deputy as the first minister of Scotland, John Swinney told BBC television "Nicola Sturgeon has far more democratic legitimacy than Liz Truss is going to have if she becomes the prime minister."</p>

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<p>Even though Scots voted narrowly in 2014 to stay in the UK, the SNP wants to hold a second plebiscite in October 2023.</p>

<p>In a bid to turn a page on the Johnson government and address Britons' economic fears, both Truss and Sunak have been issuing daily pledges of policy changes and have also been trying to curry favour with right-wingers in the Tory rank and file.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As part of a plan to wage "war on Whitehall waste", Truss outlined the creation of "regional pay boards" outside London for public-sector pay.</p>

<p>According to her campaign, the plan could save £8.8 billion ($10.75 billion) a year if it covered "all public-sector workers in the long term".</p>

<p>Noting that all state workers would include health care and government employees, Tories in more deprived regions of England criticised the idea.</p>

<p>Insisting in an apparent U-turn that there was no plot to slash the pay of any public-sector workers, a Truss campaign spokesperson alleged Tuesday the plan had been subject to "wilful misrepresentation".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister.

After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. A new survey said the foreign secretary had extended her lead over former finance minister Rishi Sunak as Tory members begin voting for a new party leader by post and online this week. 60 per cent of party members said they would vote for her in comparison to 26 per cent who supported Sunak, according to a YouGov poll for The Times. Following her remarks alleging First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was an "attention seeker", her lead had narrowed from more than 20 points to just five. Denouncing her remarks, the Scottish National Party (SNP) said it will continue to press for a second referendum on independence. Calling her comments "obnoxious", Sturgeon's deputy as the first minister of Scotland, John Swinney told BBC television "Nicola Sturgeon has far more democratic legitimacy than Liz Truss is going to have if she becomes the prime minister." × Even though Scots voted narrowly in 2014 to stay in the UK, the SNP wants to hold a second plebiscite in October 2023. In a bid to turn a page on the Johnson government and address Britons' economic fears, both Truss and Sunak have been issuing daily pledges of policy changes and have also been trying to curry favour with right-wingers in the Tory rank and file. As part of a plan to wage "war on Whitehall waste", Truss outlined the creation of "regional pay boards" outside London for public-sector pay. According to her campaign, the plan could save £8.8 billion ($10.75 billion) a year if it covered "all public-sector workers in the long term". Noting that all state workers would include health care and government employees, Tories in more deprived regions of England criticised the idea. Insisting in an apparent U-turn that there was no plot to slash the pay of any public-sector workers, a Truss campaign spokesperson alleged Tuesday the plan had been subject to "wilful misrepresentation". (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Polls show Liz Truss favourite to become Britain's next prime minister

<p>The race to become United Kingdom’s next Prime Minister was hit with an unexpected roadblock on Tuesday as the voting by the Conservative Party members had to be delayed. The decision was taken after reports from the GCHQ spy&nbsp;agency that cyber hackers were trying to change the ballots, according to The Telegraph. While the agency did not specify the source of the threat, they said that the process was vulnerable to cyber-attacks and advised against going forward with the process. That resulted in the Conservative Party making it clear that new members will no longer be able to change their votes later in the Prime Minister race, the report further stated.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-not-sit-idle-says-china-as-pelosi-arrives-in-taiwan-503049" hreflang="en">Will not sit idle, says China as Pelosi arrives in Taiwan</a></p>

<p>The competition is currently between Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak with one of them succeeding Boris Johnson to become the Prime Minister of Britain.</p>

<p>While Truss currently leads the race according to a number of opinion polls among the party leaders, it is expected to go down to the wire as the results will be officially announced on September 5.</p>

<p>The incident on Tuesday represented a massive threat to the election process but a spokesperson for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that the threat was identified in time.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polls-show-liz-truss-favourite-to-become-britains-next-prime-minister-503041">Polls show Liz Truss favourite to become Britain's next prime minister</a></p>

<p>"Defending UK democratic and electoral processes is a priority for the NCSC, and we work closely with all Parliamentary political parties, local authorities and MPs to provide cyber security guidance and support," an NCSC spokesperson told Reuters.</p>

<p>“As you would expect from the UK's national cyber security authority we provided advice to the Conservative Party on security considerations for online leadership voting,” he added.</p>


The race to become United Kingdom’s next Prime Minister was hit with an unexpected roadblock on Tuesday as the voting by the Conservative Party members had to be delayed.

The race to become United Kingdom’s next Prime Minister was hit with an unexpected roadblock on Tuesday as the voting by the Conservative Party members had to be delayed. The decision was taken after reports from the GCHQ spy agency that cyber hackers were trying to change the ballots, according to The Telegraph. While the agency did not specify the source of the threat, they said that the process was vulnerable to cyber-attacks and advised against going forward with the process. That resulted in the Conservative Party making it clear that new members will no longer be able to change their votes later in the Prime Minister race, the report further stated. Also read | Will not sit idle, says China as Pelosi arrives in Taiwan The competition is currently between Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak with one of them succeeding Boris Johnson to become the Prime Minister of Britain. While Truss currently leads the race according to a number of opinion polls among the party leaders, it is expected to go down to the wire as the results will be officially announced on September 5. The incident on Tuesday represented a massive threat to the election process but a spokesperson for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that the threat was identified in time. Also read | Polls show Liz Truss favourite to become Britain's next prime minister "Defending UK democratic and electoral processes is a priority for the NCSC, and we work closely with all Parliamentary political parties, local authorities and MPs to provide cyber security guidance and support," an NCSC spokesperson told Reuters. “As you would expect from the UK's national cyber security authority we provided advice to the Conservative Party on security considerations for online leadership voting,” he added.

Conservative Party voting for next UK PM delayed after GCHQ hacking alert: Report

<p>UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, the current favorite to replace Boris Johnson and&nbsp;become next prime minister backtracked on a significant poll promise just a day after announcing it. This is being viewed as her first big misstep. She is currently facing ex-finance minister Rishi Sunak as she aims for the country’s top post.</p>

<p>Truss had set out plans to save billions of pounds in government spending. But leaders from Conservative party and opposition said that for this plan to become reality, salaries of public sector workers would have to be cut. These workers include nurses and teachers, outside of the wealthy southeast of England.</p>

<p>On Monday, as an apparent solution to this, Truss proposed introducing regional pay boards rather than having a national pay agreement, tailoring pay to the cost of living where people actually work.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Penny Mordaunt backs Liz Truss in contest to be next Tory leader</strong></p>

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<p>However, on Tuesday (August 2), a spokesperson for Truss said: “Our hard-working frontline staff are the bedrock of society and there will be no proposal taken forward on regional pay boards for civil servants or public sector workers.”</p>

<p>Truss currently the favorite to win the PM race, was previously trailing Sunak. Even now, her lead over Sunak is slim.</p>

<p>A survey of 807 Conservative Party members by Italian data company Techne carried out July 19-27 found Truss was backed by 48%, compared with 43% for former finance minister Sunak.</p>

<p>This is suggestive of a much closer race.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Truss is already facing backlash on her public sector pay plan from within Conservative Party. But she enjoys confidence from her colleagues.</p>

<p>“This was a completely avoidable error, but I don’t think in the end it will stop her being prime minister,” said a Conservative lawmaker who supports Truss. The unnamed lawmaker was quoted by Reuters.</p>

<p>Sunak supporter Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, said he was “speechless” at the proposal.</p>

<p>“There is simply no way you can do this without a massive pay cut for 5.5m people, including nurses, police officers and our armed forces outside London,” he had said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, the current favorite to replace Boris Johnson and become next prime minister backtracked on a significant poll promise just a day after announcing it.

UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, the current favorite to replace Boris Johnson and become next prime minister backtracked on a significant poll promise just a day after announcing it. This is being viewed as her first big misstep. She is currently facing ex-finance minister Rishi Sunak as she aims for the country’s top post. Truss had set out plans to save billions of pounds in government spending. But leaders from Conservative party and opposition said that for this plan to become reality, salaries of public sector workers would have to be cut. These workers include nurses and teachers, outside of the wealthy southeast of England. On Monday, as an apparent solution to this, Truss proposed introducing regional pay boards rather than having a national pay agreement, tailoring pay to the cost of living where people actually work. Watch | Penny Mordaunt backs Liz Truss in contest to be next Tory leader × However, on Tuesday (August 2), a spokesperson for Truss said: “Our hard-working frontline staff are the bedrock of society and there will be no proposal taken forward on regional pay boards for civil servants or public sector workers.” Truss currently the favorite to win the PM race, was previously trailing Sunak. Even now, her lead over Sunak is slim. A survey of 807 Conservative Party members by Italian data company Techne carried out July 19-27 found Truss was backed by 48%, compared with 43% for former finance minister Sunak. This is suggestive of a much closer race. Truss is already facing backlash on her public sector pay plan from within Conservative Party. But she enjoys confidence from her colleagues. “This was a completely avoidable error, but I don’t think in the end it will stop her being prime minister,” said a Conservative lawmaker who supports Truss. The unnamed lawmaker was quoted by Reuters. Sunak supporter Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, said he was “speechless” at the proposal. “There is simply no way you can do this without a massive pay cut for 5.5m people, including nurses, police officers and our armed forces outside London,” he had said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UK: Liz Truss makes U-turn on pledge, first major campaign misstep

<p>The voting to decide the next occupant of 10 Downing Street has started and British Conservative frontrunner Liz Truss won further heavyweight endorsement Monday.</p>

<p>Announcing that she was supporting Truss as "the hope candidate", international trade minister Penny Mordaunt delivered a major blow to former finance minister Rishi Sunak.</p>

<p>It comes after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and finance minister Nadhim Zahawi also showed their support for Truss to become Britain's next prime minister.</p>

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<p>Experts believe that a large minority of the roughly 200,000 Tory members hold a grievance against Sunak whose resignation triggered the downfall of former prime minister Boris Johnson's government.</p>

<p>The Sunday Times reported that Johnson has told aides that he intends to give his successor some words of advice, "whoever she may be".</p>

<p>Warning against complacency, Truss promised to "unleash" farmers from European Union regulations to improve the UK's food security.</p>

<p>After Truss steamed into a strong polling lead on a platform of immediate tax cuts to address Britain's worst cost-of-living crisis in generations, Sunak needs to recapture momentum.</p>

<p>Conservative leader William Hague, who was Sunak's predecessor as MP in their northern English constituency, has endorsed him.</p>

<p>Highlighting that the opposition Labour party is riding high in the polls amid the economic crisis and political tumult of Johnson, both the contenders have stressed the need for unity once the election is out of the way.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The voting to decide the next occupant of 10 Downing Street has started and British Conservative frontrunner Liz Truss won further heavyweight endorsement Monday.

The voting to decide the next occupant of 10 Downing Street has started and British Conservative frontrunner Liz Truss won further heavyweight endorsement Monday. Announcing that she was supporting Truss as "the hope candidate", international trade minister Penny Mordaunt delivered a major blow to former finance minister Rishi Sunak. It comes after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and finance minister Nadhim Zahawi also showed their support for Truss to become Britain's next prime minister. × Experts believe that a large minority of the roughly 200,000 Tory members hold a grievance against Sunak whose resignation triggered the downfall of former prime minister Boris Johnson's government. The Sunday Times reported that Johnson has told aides that he intends to give his successor some words of advice, "whoever she may be". Warning against complacency, Truss promised to "unleash" farmers from European Union regulations to improve the UK's food security. After Truss steamed into a strong polling lead on a platform of immediate tax cuts to address Britain's worst cost-of-living crisis in generations, Sunak needs to recapture momentum. Conservative leader William Hague, who was Sunak's predecessor as MP in their northern English constituency, has endorsed him. Highlighting that the opposition Labour party is riding high in the polls amid the economic crisis and political tumult of Johnson, both the contenders have stressed the need for unity once the election is out of the way. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Voting begins in Britain's prime minister contest, Truss wins cabinet backing

The race for UK's next PM is on as the voting to select the new leader of the Conservative party is set to begin today. Foreign secretary Liz Truss is leading ahead of former finance minister Rishi Sunak.

UK: Tory leadership race reaches final leg, Sunak trailing behind Truss

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidfxA22WpeWwkq" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Trailing in the race to the keys of 10, Downing Street, Tory leader Rishi Sunak has announced that if voted to power, he will reduce the basic rates of income tax by 20 per cent by 2029.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sunak stated that his immediate target was tackling inflation. However, once that is achieved, his government will slash one pence off income tax in 2024, as announced in his tenure as the chancellor. Afterwards, another three pence will be struck off the income tax, come 2029.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Betting on his tax-cut programme, Sunak described it as a radical yet realistic vision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is a radical vision but it is also a realistic one and there are some core principles that I’m simply not prepared to compromise on, whatever the prize,” said Sunak, who further added, “Firstly I will never get taxes down in a way that just puts inflation up. Secondly, I will never make promises I can’t pay for. And thirdly I will always be honest about the challenges we face.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Currently embroiled in a race with foreign secretary Liz Truss, Sunak has been losing ground lately. After Boris Johnson resigned from the PM post, Sunak was dubbed the clear front runner. However, in recent times, some of his statements and actions have changed the tide in favour of Truss.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover, Sunak's future tax cut promise only comes in the backdrop of Truss announcing immediate tax cuts, which has propelled her popularity amongst the masses, especially the 175,000 conservative party members who received their postal ballots on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tory-leader-rishi-sunak-wears-595-prada-loafers-on-a-visit-to-a-building-site-501764" target="_blank">&nbsp;Tory leader Rishi Sunak wears $595 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site</a></p>

<p>Inflation is at an all-time high of 9.4 per cent in the UK. Thus, it will be interesting to observe if Truss' populist measure of immediate tax cuts agrees with the economy or not. Sunak is proposing&nbsp;a realistic way to reduce the cuts but the public is swaying with Truss.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Trailing in the race to the keys of 10, Downing Street, Tory leader Rishi Sunak has announced that if voted to power, he will reduce the basic rates of income tax by 20 per cent by 2029.

Trailing in the race to the keys of 10, Downing Street, Tory leader Rishi Sunak has announced that if voted to power, he will reduce the basic rates of income tax by 20 per cent by 2029. Sunak stated that his immediate target was tackling inflation. However, once that is achieved, his government will slash one pence off income tax in 2024, as announced in his tenure as the chancellor. Afterwards, another three pence will be struck off the income tax, come 2029. Betting on his tax-cut programme, Sunak described it as a radical yet realistic vision. “It is a radical vision but it is also a realistic one and there are some core principles that I’m simply not prepared to compromise on, whatever the prize,” said Sunak, who further added, “Firstly I will never get taxes down in a way that just puts inflation up. Secondly, I will never make promises I can’t pay for. And thirdly I will always be honest about the challenges we face.” Currently embroiled in a race with foreign secretary Liz Truss, Sunak has been losing ground lately. After Boris Johnson resigned from the PM post, Sunak was dubbed the clear front runner. However, in recent times, some of his statements and actions have changed the tide in favour of Truss. Moreover, Sunak's future tax cut promise only comes in the backdrop of Truss announcing immediate tax cuts, which has propelled her popularity amongst the masses, especially the 175,000 conservative party members who received their postal ballots on Monday. Read More: Tory leader Rishi Sunak wears $595 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site Inflation is at an all-time high of 9.4 per cent in the UK. Thus, it will be interesting to observe if Truss' populist measure of immediate tax cuts agrees with the economy or not. Sunak is proposing a realistic way to reduce the cuts but the public is swaying with Truss. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Trailing in UK PM race, Rishi Sunak promises 'radical' 20% income tax cuts

<p>Tory leader Rishi Sunak might be embroiled in a toe-to-toe battle with his party compatriot&nbsp;Liz Truss for the keys to 10, Downing Street but that has not stopped the former Chancellor from keeping his fashion game on fleek.</p>

<p>Reportedly, Sunak recently visited a building site in Teesside, Northern England where he was spotted wearing $595 Prada suede loafers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="The Prada shoe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="213aecb8-9855-46bd-b626-66796078d83e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sunak_0.png" /></p>

<p>Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sunak-truss-hold-first-clash-in-front-of-tory-members-after-johnson-assures-seamless-transition-501591">Sunak, Truss hold first clash in front of Tory members after Johnson assures seamless transition</a></p>

<p>The Conservative party leader was visiting&nbsp;Teesside to gather the support of Mayor Ben Houchen. However, more than the visit, it was Sunak's 'pricey' loafers that grabbed the eyeballs. One of the netizens&nbsp;remarked that Sunak's shoes were more than an individual's&nbsp;weekly wage in&nbsp;Teesside.</p>

<p><strong>Sunak and his expensive 'aristocratic'&nbsp;taste</strong></p>

<p>This is not the first time that Sunak has garnered news headlines for his expensive tastes. In 2020, as the Chancellor of the country, he was spotted using&nbsp;a $220 mug in the traditional pre-Budget photograph.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similarly, when Sunak decided to run for the Prime Minister's job, a clip from a video documentary went viral on social media platforms where Sunak could be seen talking about his 'aristocratic' friends.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper-class, I have friends who are, you know, working-class. Well, not working class" Sunak said in&nbsp;the BBC documentary titled 'Middle Classes- Their Rise &amp; Sprawl'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further remarked in the clip,&nbsp;"I mix and match and then I go to see kids from an inner-city state school and tell them to apply to Oxford and talk to them about people like me. And then I shock them at the end of chatting to them for half an hour and tell them I was at Winchester and one of my best friends is from Eton or whatever. And then they're like, 'Oh OK'."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The full Sunak clip is even more toe-curling <a href="https://t.co/vIVI6UTPun">pic.twitter.com/vIVI6UTPun</a></p>
— Conor Gogarty (@ConorGogarty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConorGogarty/status/1545836970307424256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The video had brought a lot of flack for Sunak who was dubbed being as out of touch from reality.&nbsp; Since then, Sunak and his PR team have attempted to change the narrative.</p>

<p>Terming himself as an 'underdog' in the race with Liz Truss, Sunak said,&nbsp;“Be in little question, I’m the underdog,' before adding,&nbsp;“The forces that be need this to be a coronation for the opposite candidate however I believe members desire a selection and they’re ready to hear.”</p>

<p>Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-labels-himself-the-underdog-in-race-to-become-next-uk-prime-minister-500092">&nbsp;Rishi Sunak labels himself the underdog in race to become next UK Prime Minister</a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Tory leader Rishi Sunak might be embroiled in a toe-to-toe battle with his party compatriot Liz Truss for the keys to 10, Downing Street but that has not stopped the former Chancellor from keeping his fashion game on fleek.

Tory leader Rishi Sunak might be embroiled in a toe-to-toe battle with his party compatriot Liz Truss for the keys to 10, Downing Street but that has not stopped the former Chancellor from keeping his fashion game on fleek. Reportedly, Sunak recently visited a building site in Teesside, Northern England where he was spotted wearing $595 Prada suede loafers. Read More: Sunak, Truss hold first clash in front of Tory members after Johnson assures seamless transition The Conservative party leader was visiting Teesside to gather the support of Mayor Ben Houchen. However, more than the visit, it was Sunak's 'pricey' loafers that grabbed the eyeballs. One of the netizens remarked that Sunak's shoes were more than an individual's weekly wage in Teesside. Sunak and his expensive 'aristocratic' taste This is not the first time that Sunak has garnered news headlines for his expensive tastes. In 2020, as the Chancellor of the country, he was spotted using a $220 mug in the traditional pre-Budget photograph. Similarly, when Sunak decided to run for the Prime Minister's job, a clip from a video documentary went viral on social media platforms where Sunak could be seen talking about his 'aristocratic' friends. "I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper-class, I have friends who are, you know, working-class. Well, not working class" Sunak said in the BBC documentary titled 'Middle Classes- Their Rise & Sprawl'. He further remarked in the clip, "I mix and match and then I go to see kids from an inner-city state school and tell them to apply to Oxford and talk to them about people like me. And then I shock them at the end of chatting to them for half an hour and tell them I was at Winchester and one of my best friends is from Eton or whatever. And then they're like, 'Oh OK'." The full Sunak clip is even more toe-curling pic.twitter.com/vIVI6UTPun — Conor Gogarty (@ConorGogarty) July 9, 2022 × The video had brought a lot of flack for Sunak who was dubbed being as out of touch from reality. Since then, Sunak and his PR team have attempted to change the narrative. Terming himself as an 'underdog' in the race with Liz Truss, Sunak said, “Be in little question, I’m the underdog,' before adding, “The forces that be need this to be a coronation for the opposite candidate however I believe members desire a selection and they’re ready to hear.” Read More: Rishi Sunak labels himself the underdog in race to become next UK Prime Minister (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Tory leader Rishi Sunak wears $595 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak spelled out their vision of leadership as they clashed in the first official grilling in the presence of conservative party members in Leeds on Thursday.

UK leadership contenders Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss grilled by voters

<p>British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former finance minister Rishi Sunak held their first clash in front of Tory members on Thursday.</p>

<p>Rather than squaring off at lecterns from opposite ends of a TV studio, the candidates went on stage one after the other and faced plenty of hard-nosed questioning from Conservatives.</p>

<p>Both contenders visited their individual seats as they wage a bitter duel to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson.</p>

<p>While Truss said her Yorkshire upbringing had given her grit and determination, Sunak denounced her "fairy tale economics".</p>

<p>Accepting that he is the "underdog" in the contest, Sunak vowed to curb inflation and resist China's increasingly authoritarian rise.</p>

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<p>Hitting back at Sunak for his expensive tastes in fashion, Truss said they revealed he is out of touch with the ordinary public in hard times.</p>

<p>It comes after Johnson assured Britons that there would be a seamless transition to the next prime minister after a Conservative leadership election to replace him.</p>

<p>Tory members, who will cast their votes in the coming weeks to appoint the new Conservative leader and successor to Boris Johnson, do not want to hand the keys to Number 10 Downing Street to Sunak as per experts.</p>

<p>Tired of the chaos wrought by the Johnson administration and a bitter leadership contest, a majority of Tories want their next leader to bring stability.</p>

<p>According to YouGov, Truss is ahead of Sunak in opinion polls by 24 points as people believe that she has the experience and should be able to take the tough decisions to steer Britain's economy through difficult times.</p>

<p>If Truss defeats Sunak, she will become the country's third woman prime minister after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. But if Sunak beats Truss, he will be Britain's first leader of Indian origin.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former finance minister Rishi Sunak held their first clash in front of Tory members on Thursday. Rather than squaring off at lecterns from opposite ends of a TV studio, the candidates went on stage one after the other and faced plenty of hard-nosed questioning from Conservatives.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former finance minister Rishi Sunak held their first clash in front of Tory members on Thursday. Rather than squaring off at lecterns from opposite ends of a TV studio, the candidates went on stage one after the other and faced plenty of hard-nosed questioning from Conservatives. Both contenders visited their individual seats as they wage a bitter duel to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson. While Truss said her Yorkshire upbringing had given her grit and determination, Sunak denounced her "fairy tale economics". Accepting that he is the "underdog" in the contest, Sunak vowed to curb inflation and resist China's increasingly authoritarian rise. × Hitting back at Sunak for his expensive tastes in fashion, Truss said they revealed he is out of touch with the ordinary public in hard times. It comes after Johnson assured Britons that there would be a seamless transition to the next prime minister after a Conservative leadership election to replace him. Tory members, who will cast their votes in the coming weeks to appoint the new Conservative leader and successor to Boris Johnson, do not want to hand the keys to Number 10 Downing Street to Sunak as per experts. Tired of the chaos wrought by the Johnson administration and a bitter leadership contest, a majority of Tories want their next leader to bring stability. According to YouGov, Truss is ahead of Sunak in opinion polls by 24 points as people believe that she has the experience and should be able to take the tough decisions to steer Britain's economy through difficult times. If Truss defeats Sunak, she will become the country's third woman prime minister after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. But if Sunak beats Truss, he will be Britain's first leader of Indian origin. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Sunak, Truss hold first clash in front of Tory members after Johnson assures seamless transition

The Conservative leadership contender and former chancellor Rishi Sunak pledge to scrap VAT on energy bills has created quite a stir. Sunak's supporters say he has not backtracked on his promise to scrap the tax on energy bills.

Tory leadership race: Rishi Sunak pledges to scrap VAT on energy bills

<p>The race to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is heating up with both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss not wasting any opportunity to push their agenda in front of the general public. However, the latest Conservative Party leadership debate on Tuesday came to an abrupt end after TV presenter Kate McCann fainted on air. The host lost consciousness in the middle of the broadcast as a loud crash was heard and the debate was taken off air instantly. TalkTV has released a statement that McCann is “doing fine” at the moment and even apologised to all of its viewers.</p>

<p>"We apologise to our viewers and listeners," it added in a statement.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-prince-signs-deal-on-data-cable-with-greece-on-his-first-europe-trip-since-killing-of-khashoggi-500985" hreflang="en">Saudi prince meets Greek PM, signs deal for 'cheaper energy'</a></p>

<p>In the aftermath of the event, both candidates expressed their support for McCann as Rishi Sunak took to Twitter to write: "Good news that you're already recovering @KateEMcCann.</p>

<p>"It was a great debate and I look forward to getting grilled by you again shortly."</p>

<p>Truss, who was making her point about her tax plans when the incident took place, also told Sky News that she is relieved to hear that McCann is recovering and praised her role in the debate.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-as-ukrainian-prime-minister-tongue-in-cheek-petition-garners-over-2500-signatures-500979">Johnson as Ukrainian PM? Tongue-in-cheek petition garners 2,500 signatures</a></p>

<p>"Relieved to hear Kate McCann is fine. Really sorry that such a good debate had to end. Look forward to catching up with Kate and the rest of the team again soon," she said.</p>

<p>Sunak and Truss are both going hard in the debates ahead of the crucial vote on September 5 and the main topics till now have been taxes and NHS funding. In the initial rounds of the leadership race, Sunak emerged on top with most votes while Truss made a late comeback in the fifth round.</p>

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The race to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is heating up with both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss not wasting any opportunity to push their agenda in front of the general public.

The race to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is heating up with both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss not wasting any opportunity to push their agenda in front of the general public. However, the latest Conservative Party leadership debate on Tuesday came to an abrupt end after TV presenter Kate McCann fainted on air. The host lost consciousness in the middle of the broadcast as a loud crash was heard and the debate was taken off air instantly. TalkTV has released a statement that McCann is “doing fine” at the moment and even apologised to all of its viewers. "We apologise to our viewers and listeners," it added in a statement. Also read | Saudi prince meets Greek PM, signs deal for 'cheaper energy' In the aftermath of the event, both candidates expressed their support for McCann as Rishi Sunak took to Twitter to write: "Good news that you're already recovering @KateEMcCann. "It was a great debate and I look forward to getting grilled by you again shortly." Truss, who was making her point about her tax plans when the incident took place, also told Sky News that she is relieved to hear that McCann is recovering and praised her role in the debate. Also read | Johnson as Ukrainian PM? Tongue-in-cheek petition garners 2,500 signatures "Relieved to hear Kate McCann is fine. Really sorry that such a good debate had to end. Look forward to catching up with Kate and the rest of the team again soon," she said. Sunak and Truss are both going hard in the debates ahead of the crucial vote on September 5 and the main topics till now have been taxes and NHS funding. In the initial rounds of the leadership race, Sunak emerged on top with most votes while Truss made a late comeback in the fifth round. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

Rishi Sunak-Liz Truss debate abandoned after TV presenter faints on air

<p>After being put up on Ukraine's official petitions site on Tuesday, a tongue-in-cheek petition to make outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the country's prime minister has garnered more than 2,500 signatures.</p>

<p>Johnson remains a cult figure in Kyiv for his vocal support of Ukraine as it fights off Russia's invasion despite losing domestic popularity and eventually having been forced&nbsp;to announce his resignation following dozens of ministerial departures in early July.</p>

<p>To show their fondness towards Johnson, many Ukrainians have painted murals and designed cakes affectionately called 'Johnsoniuk'.</p>

<p>Listing Johnson's strengths, the petition has been addressed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p>

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<p>Acknowledging its non-compliance with Ukraine's constitution, the petition was put after Johnson presented Zelensky with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award for his "incredible courage, defiance, and dignity" in the face of Russia's invasion.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Zelensky, who quoted wartime British premier Churchill while accepting the award, will be obliged to officially respond to the petition if it receives 25,000 signatures.</p>

<p>Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak are vying to be Britain’s next prime minister after Johnson quit as leader of the governing Conservative Party on July 7 following months of ethics scandals which in turn triggered a mass exodus of ministers from his government.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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After being put up on Ukraine's official petitions site on Tuesday, a tongue-in-cheek petition to make outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the country's prime minister has garnered more than 2,500 signatures.

After being put up on Ukraine's official petitions site on Tuesday, a tongue-in-cheek petition to make outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the country's prime minister has garnered more than 2,500 signatures. Johnson remains a cult figure in Kyiv for his vocal support of Ukraine as it fights off Russia's invasion despite losing domestic popularity and eventually having been forced to announce his resignation following dozens of ministerial departures in early July. To show their fondness towards Johnson, many Ukrainians have painted murals and designed cakes affectionately called 'Johnsoniuk'. Listing Johnson's strengths, the petition has been addressed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. × Acknowledging its non-compliance with Ukraine's constitution, the petition was put after Johnson presented Zelensky with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award for his "incredible courage, defiance, and dignity" in the face of Russia's invasion. Interestingly, Zelensky, who quoted wartime British premier Churchill while accepting the award, will be obliged to officially respond to the petition if it receives 25,000 signatures. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak are vying to be Britain’s next prime minister after Johnson quit as leader of the governing Conservative Party on July 7 following months of ethics scandals which in turn triggered a mass exodus of ministers from his government. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Boris Johnson as Ukrainian prime minister? Tongue-in-cheek petition garners over 2,500 signatures

The battle to become the UK’s next prime minister descended into fierce clashes as Rishi Sunak launched repeated attacks on the economic policies of the Liz Truss in their first head-to-head TV debate.

Tory Leadership Race: Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak trade blows in first TV debate

UK PM Race: Truss and Sunak trade blows in first TV debate

<p>The first head-to-head TV debate between the UK Prime Minister hopefuls—Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss—witnessed some acrimonious scenes with former vice chancellor Sunak launching tirades against the British foreign secretary’s economic policies.</p>

<p>The two Conservative leadership contenders traded blows over tax cuts, China and inflation in the hour-long debate hosted by the BBC.</p>

<p>While Sunak said that Truss’ tax cut plan would "tip millions of people into misery" and can cost the Conservatives the next election, Truss shot back saying that tax rises brought in by her former cabinet colleague would lead to a recession.</p>

<p>Liz Truss promised that she would undo the rise in National Insurance, a planned rise in corporation tax, and would temporarily scrap green levies on energy bills to be paid for through borrowing if elected to be the leader of the Conservative Party.</p>

<p><strong>Economy, inflation</strong></p>

<p>Sunak said that his focus would be to tame inflation and that he would not cut taxes until the prices are under control.</p>

<p>Sunak asserted that the coronavirus pandemic had created a large bill and that placing it on the "country's credit card" would "pass the tab to our children and grandchildren".</p>

<p>He described Truss’ plans on the economy as “not conservative”, while interrupting her at one point to say, “You promised almost £40bn of unfunded tax cuts, £40bn more borrowing,” reports The Guardian.</p>

<p>“That is the country’s credit card. It’s our children and grandchildren … everyone here … who are going to have to pick up the tab for that.”</p>

<p><strong>China</strong></p>

<p>On China, both candidates accused each other of not having been tough enough on the Asian giant in the past.</p>

<p>While Truss criticised Sunak’s calls for a tougher stance on China, saying that the Treasury just last month was calling for closer bilateral and economic ties.</p>

<p>Sunak accused Truss of making assertions about a “golden era” between China and the UK.</p>

<p>“I think that was almost a decade ago,” the foreign secretary snapped back.</p>

<p><strong>Boris Johnson</strong></p>

<p>There have been reports swirling around that Boris Johnson might make a political comeback despite announcing to step down next month.</p>

<p>Both the candidates, while talking about Johnson’s performance in handling the government, ruled out a role for the current PM in any government they might lead.</p>

<p>The former chancellor heaped praise on Johnson for handling Brexit and the pandemic, but said that he had quit as a matter of principle over the PM's "conduct" and the fact that they had "very different views about the direction of travel on the economy".</p>

<p>Acknowledging that the prime minister made mistakes, Truss said that they were not "sufficient" enough for the Conservative Party to have "rejected him".</p>

<p>According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Johnson indicated to Lord Cruddas at Chequers on Friday that he “wants to fight the next general election as leader of the Conservative party”.</p>

<p>Truss is projected to win the leadership race after a series of opinion polls and surveys put her firmly ahead of party members. This is a massive turnaround considering that Sunak had comfortably won the leadership race among Tory MPs.</p>

<p>The British media claimed that Sunak might have been feeling the pressure during the debate, which was described as “bad-tempered”, with Sunak often interrupting Truss.</p>

<p>The Truss's supporters pointed this out in the aftermath of the debate where they complained that the ex-chancellor was being too aggressive and was "mansplaining" - something fiercely denied by the Sunak camp, reports BBC.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The first head-to-head TV debate between the UK Prime Minister hopefuls—Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss—witnessed some acrimonious scenes with former vice chancellor Sunak launching tirades against the British foreign secretary’s economic policies.

The first head-to-head TV debate between the UK Prime Minister hopefuls—Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss—witnessed some acrimonious scenes with former vice chancellor Sunak launching tirades against the British foreign secretary’s economic policies. The two Conservative leadership contenders traded blows over tax cuts, China and inflation in the hour-long debate hosted by the BBC. While Sunak said that Truss’ tax cut plan would "tip millions of people into misery" and can cost the Conservatives the next election, Truss shot back saying that tax rises brought in by her former cabinet colleague would lead to a recession. Liz Truss promised that she would undo the rise in National Insurance, a planned rise in corporation tax, and would temporarily scrap green levies on energy bills to be paid for through borrowing if elected to be the leader of the Conservative Party. Economy, inflation Sunak said that his focus would be to tame inflation and that he would not cut taxes until the prices are under control. Sunak asserted that the coronavirus pandemic had created a large bill and that placing it on the "country's credit card" would "pass the tab to our children and grandchildren". He described Truss’ plans on the economy as “not conservative”, while interrupting her at one point to say, “You promised almost £40bn of unfunded tax cuts, £40bn more borrowing,” reports The Guardian. “That is the country’s credit card. It’s our children and grandchildren … everyone here … who are going to have to pick up the tab for that.” China On China, both candidates accused each other of not having been tough enough on the Asian giant in the past. While Truss criticised Sunak’s calls for a tougher stance on China, saying that the Treasury just last month was calling for closer bilateral and economic ties. Sunak accused Truss of making assertions about a “golden era” between China and the UK. “I think that was almost a decade ago,” the foreign secretary snapped back. Boris Johnson There have been reports swirling around that Boris Johnson might make a political comeback despite announcing to step down next month. Both the candidates, while talking about Johnson’s performance in handling the government, ruled out a role for the current PM in any government they might lead. The former chancellor heaped praise on Johnson for handling Brexit and the pandemic, but said that he had quit as a matter of principle over the PM's "conduct" and the fact that they had "very different views about the direction of travel on the economy". Acknowledging that the prime minister made mistakes, Truss said that they were not "sufficient" enough for the Conservative Party to have "rejected him". According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Johnson indicated to Lord Cruddas at Chequers on Friday that he “wants to fight the next general election as leader of the Conservative party”. Truss is projected to win the leadership race after a series of opinion polls and surveys put her firmly ahead of party members. This is a massive turnaround considering that Sunak had comfortably won the leadership race among Tory MPs. The British media claimed that Sunak might have been feeling the pressure during the debate, which was described as “bad-tempered”, with Sunak often interrupting Truss. The Truss's supporters pointed this out in the aftermath of the debate where they complained that the ex-chancellor was being too aggressive and was "mansplaining" - something fiercely denied by the Sunak camp, reports BBC. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Conservative leadership race: Sparks fly in first TV debate between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss

Rishi Sunak has promised to get tough on China if he becomes Britain's next Prime Minister. His rival - Liz Truss claims Sunak was soft on China as Chancellor. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Rishi Sunak vows to get tough on China

Race to 10 Downing Street is heating up. The two hopefuls, Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are in contest to replace Boris Johnson. They took part in their first head to head tv debate which descended into fierce clashes on a slew of topics.

Tory Leadership Race: Truss & Sunak trade blows in first TV debate

<p>The Telegraph reported that in a conversation with former treasurer Peter Cruddas, Boris Johnson said he wishes he could "wipe away" his departure.</p>

<p>As per the report, Johnson also told Cruddas over lunch on Friday that he "wants to fight the next general election as leader of the Conservative Party."</p>

<p>The report quoted Cruddas as saying "There was no ambiguity in Boris’s views. He definitely does not want to resign. He wants to carry on and he believes that, with the membership behind him, he can."</p>

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<p>The report, which has been published before Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak's TV debate, sheds light on discredited Johnson's views after he quit as party leader in&nbsp;July following months of uncertainty and drama due to his involvement in scandals.</p>

<p>Johnson remains caretaker prime minister until his successor is chosen by about 180,000 Conservative Party members will vote over the summer with the result announced on September 5.</p>

<p>In order to woo Conservatives, both Truss and Sunak have doubled down on policies thought to appeal to the Tory grassroots including a contentious deal agreed by the Johnson government with Rwanda to send some migrants who arrive in Britain in small boats on a one-way trip to the East African nation.</p>

<p>With Truss promising immediate tax cuts, both opponents have already clashed over economic policy amid a cost-of-living crisis driven by soaring food and energy prices.</p>

<p>Britain is experiencing economic turbulence partly due to the war in Ukraine and its departure from the European Union.</p>

<p>Highlighting that China represents the “biggest-long term threat to Britain,” Sunak has vowed that if he is elected he would close the 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The Telegraph reported that in a conversation with former treasurer Peter Cruddas, Boris Johnson said he wishes he could "wipe away" his departure. As per the report, Johnson also told Cruddas over lunch on Friday that he "wants to fight the next general election as leader of the Conservative Party.

The Telegraph reported that in a conversation with former treasurer Peter Cruddas, Boris Johnson said he wishes he could "wipe away" his departure. As per the report, Johnson also told Cruddas over lunch on Friday that he "wants to fight the next general election as leader of the Conservative Party." The report quoted Cruddas as saying "There was no ambiguity in Boris’s views. He definitely does not want to resign. He wants to carry on and he believes that, with the membership behind him, he can." × The report, which has been published before Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak's TV debate, sheds light on discredited Johnson's views after he quit as party leader in July following months of uncertainty and drama due to his involvement in scandals. Johnson remains caretaker prime minister until his successor is chosen by about 180,000 Conservative Party members will vote over the summer with the result announced on September 5. In order to woo Conservatives, both Truss and Sunak have doubled down on policies thought to appeal to the Tory grassroots including a contentious deal agreed by the Johnson government with Rwanda to send some migrants who arrive in Britain in small boats on a one-way trip to the East African nation. With Truss promising immediate tax cuts, both opponents have already clashed over economic policy amid a cost-of-living crisis driven by soaring food and energy prices. Britain is experiencing economic turbulence partly due to the war in Ukraine and its departure from the European Union. Highlighting that China represents the “biggest-long term threat to Britain,” Sunak has vowed that if he is elected he would close the 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Boris Johnson wishes to 'wipe away' his departure: Report

<p>United Kingdom’s race for the next Prime Minister is getting hotter every day. Right now, the two top contenders are Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and both have made a slew of promises in their attempts&nbsp;to woo the party members who will be voting to pick their leader and PM. On Sunday, Sunak promised that if he is chosen to replace Boris Johnson, he will get tough on China. He called the country the “number one threat” to domestic and global security.</p>

<p>As per an AFP report, this comes after Sunak’s rival Liz Truss accused him of being weak on China and Russia.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;The UK gears up for next Prime Minister: Liz Truss vs Rishi Sunak</strong></p>

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<p>China’s government-run Global Times in a report had even called Sunak the only contender in the race who had “a clear and pragmatic view on developing UK-China ties”.</p>

<p>UK’s Daily Mail termed this “the endorsement that nobody wanted”.</p>

<p>Sunak has made a number of proposals in an effort to move past this, including the closure of Chinese Confucius institutes and the use of the intelligence agency MI5 to stop Chinese espionage.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-candidates-pledge-to-crack-down-on-illegal-immigration-500269" hreflang="en">British PM&nbsp;candidates pledge to crack down on illegal immigration</a></strong></p>

<p>He criticised China’s international “belt and road” initiative for “saddling developing countries with insurmountable debt”.</p>

<p>“They torture, detain and indoctrinate their own people, including in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, in contravention of their human rights. And they have continually rigged the global economy in their favour by suppressing their currency,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Enough is enough. For too long, politicians in Britain and across the West have rolled out the red carpet and turned a blind eye to China’s nefarious activity and ambitions.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I will change this on Day 1 as PM.”</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-labels-himself-the-underdog-in-race-to-become-next-uk-prime-minister-500092" hreflang="en">Rishi Sunak labels himself the underdog in race to become next UK Prime Minister</a></strong></p>

<p>China hawks inside the Tory party, who have consistently urged Johnson to be more assertive with Beijing, would no doubt applaud Sunak for his tough talk.&nbsp;However, this also demonstrates how desperately Sunak is attempting to catch up to Truss. As per polls, Truss is ahead in the vital race.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>Watch WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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United Kingdom’s race for the next Prime Minister is getting hotter every day. Right now, the two top contenders are Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and both have made a slew of promises in their attempts to woo the party members who will be voting to pick their leader and PM.

United Kingdom’s race for the next Prime Minister is getting hotter every day. Right now, the two top contenders are Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and both have made a slew of promises in their attempts to woo the party members who will be voting to pick their leader and PM. On Sunday, Sunak promised that if he is chosen to replace Boris Johnson, he will get tough on China. He called the country the “number one threat” to domestic and global security. As per an AFP report, this comes after Sunak’s rival Liz Truss accused him of being weak on China and Russia. Watch | The UK gears up for next Prime Minister: Liz Truss vs Rishi Sunak China’s government-run Global Times in a report had even called Sunak the only contender in the race who had “a clear and pragmatic view on developing UK-China ties”. UK’s Daily Mail termed this “the endorsement that nobody wanted”. Sunak has made a number of proposals in an effort to move past this, including the closure of Chinese Confucius institutes and the use of the intelligence agency MI5 to stop Chinese espionage. Also read | British PM candidates pledge to crack down on illegal immigration He criticised China’s international “belt and road” initiative for “saddling developing countries with insurmountable debt”. “They torture, detain and indoctrinate their own people, including in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, in contravention of their human rights. And they have continually rigged the global economy in their favour by suppressing their currency,” he added. “Enough is enough. For too long, politicians in Britain and across the West have rolled out the red carpet and turned a blind eye to China’s nefarious activity and ambitions.” “I will change this on Day 1 as PM.” Also read | Rishi Sunak labels himself the underdog in race to become next UK Prime Minister China hawks inside the Tory party, who have consistently urged Johnson to be more assertive with Beijing, would no doubt applaud Sunak for his tough talk. However, this also demonstrates how desperately Sunak is attempting to catch up to Truss. As per polls, Truss is ahead in the vital race. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘Underdog’ Rishi Sunak vows to get tough on China if he becomes PM

Former British finance minister Rishi Sunak, one of two remaining candidates to become Britain's next prime minister vowed to get tough on China if elected Prime Minister.

UK PM aspirant Rishi Sunak vows to get tough on China if elected PM

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