Sunak, Truss take part in UK leadership debate in Norwich

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) – Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and current Foreign Secretary Liz Truss took part in a leadership campaign event Thursday in Norwich, east England.

The pair took turns answering questions in front of an audience comprised of Conservative Party members.

Sunak said he would prefer Truss as prime minister rather than outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“We've got to move forward as a party,” he said. “Lots of you here, I'm sure, are upset with me for resigning and wish Boris was here. That is not going to help us move forward."

Sunak added that he would “take on this lefty woke culture that seems to want to cancel our history, our values and our women.”

On taxes, he said he would not "pursue policies that risk making inflation far worse and last far longer, especially if those policies amount to borrowing £50 billion ($59 billion) and putting that on the country's credit card.”

He also promised to restore trust in rural communities, saying "that means increasing the supply of British food, protecting agricultural land and unequivocally backing British farmers."

Truss, the frontrunner, said: "I would level up in a Conservative way, by setting up low tax investment zones where local communities want them, driving business, growth and investment.

"And I'll also take on the Treasury orthodoxy, the rules that currently mean that more investment goes into areas that already have the investment."

She would “turbocharge the economy in the east of England through tax cuts and better regulations,” she added.

Both Sunak and Truss were asked if French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe.

Sunak replied immediately: “Friend.”

Controversially, Truss replied: “The jury’s out. But if I become prime minister, I would judge him on deeds, not words.”

Her response was met with cheers by the party faithful at the event but was seized upon by critics afterwards.

Members of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party are currently voting to decide on their next leader, who will also become the next prime minister.

Truss is leading in internal Conservative Party membership polls by some margin, though Sunak led in the first stage of the contest with Conservative Party lawmakers.

The new leader of the Conservative Party, and in turn prime minister, will be announced on Sept. 5.