Rishi Sunak launched a series of furious attacks on Liz Truss in a TV debate tonight as he desperately struggles to win over Tory members.
Ex-Chancellor Cameron came out swinging after the fight to succeed Boris Johnson turned increasingly tense and polls showed he was trailing.
He said to Ms. Truss that it was not responsible, immoral and ‘not Conservative to offer tax cuts – something he suggested could only happen in Autumn next year. This would avoid inflation. ‘You’ve promised almost £40billion of unfunded tax cuts… everyone here will have to pick up the tab for that,’ he said.
But the Foreign Secretary hit back that she would reverse the increase in national insurance, and it made no sense to raise taxes during a global economic crisis. Her response was that the US and other nations were not lifting taxes, but she added that ‘we’re an exception’.
Ms Truss stated that Mr Sunak had warned of an increase in interest rates due to her policies.
Sunak, however, questioned her support of staying in the EU in 2016. He said that he was the only person who was on the side for Remain Project Fear.
Ms Truss lashed at him for his “bean-counting” attitude. Mr Sunak countered, saying: “You talk about bean count as if that’s not a Conservative thing. We care about the way we pay for it.
Both candidates fought over China. Ms Truss said that, as recently as one month ago, he had been calling for closer ties but is now calling to the opposite. She said, “I’m glad that you’ve changed your mind,”
Sunak also dismissed criticisms that his wealth makes it difficult to connect with the ordinary. He said that he was not born wealthy and that he had been successful because of hard work and ambitions set by his parents.
Ms Truss effectively disowned a comparison made by one of her supporters, Nadine Dorries between the Foreign Secretary’s £4.50 earrings and Mr Sunak’s £3,500 suit. Truss stated that she had removed Twitter after the contest began and said: ‘I don’t understand how she knows my earrings where they came from.
Although they have taken part in many hustings together, the pair were not able to meet up on television until a heated ITV debate. Mr Sunak wanted to know what Ms Truss regrets more about voting Remain than being a Lib Dem.
To avoid being more blue-onblue, the encounter became so tense that both men pulled out from a debate on Sky News.
After another poll suggesting Ms Truss was on track to become the Tory leader, Mr Sunak feels under immense pressure to gain momentum tonight.
Ms. Truss refused to be interviewed by veteran TV host Andrew Neil. She declined to be interviewed by Mr Sunak for Channel 4 on Friday night.
Before the contest, both candidates shared new videos of themselves. Ms Truss showed her visiting activists while insisting that she was the only one with the “boldness” to solve the nation’s problems.
His latest films show his human side. He chats with a young girl during a school visit and meets volunteers.

As he struggles desperately to win Tory members over, Rishi sunak unleashed a string of vicious attacks on Liz Truss tonight in a TV debate

Tonight’s Stoke Debate was hosted by Sophie Raworth. Faisal Islamic, the BBC’s economics editor and Chris Mason were present to provide analysis and answer questions.

Rishi Sunak took aim at Liz Truss as the fight to replace Boris Johnson became increasingly savage during an episode of BBC One.


A new poll revealed that Ms. Truss was more popular among Tory voters but Ms. Sunak leads when it comes all voter support.
Tonight’s Stoke Debate was hosted by Sophie Raworth. Faisal Islamic, the BBC’s economic editor and Chris Mason were present to provide analysis and answer questions.
Savanta CompRes assembled the studio audience. It was entirely made up of Conservative voters.
With postal ballots set to arrive on Tory members’ doorsteps by August 5, Mr Sunak faces pressure to use the BBC debate – and another hosted by TalkTV and the Sun on Tuesday – to make a breakthrough.
While he won the Tory leader race comfortably, Ms Truss was voted favourite by bookmakers after several opinion polls.
Mr Sunak and Ms Truss were asked if people can expect more help with their bills if they become prime minister.
Sunak stated that he had announced a substantial amount of financial support in order to assist people with their bills through winter and autumn.
“And, of course, as prime Minister, I would like to ensure that we have policies in place for people like you who work incredibly hard to provide for your family.
Sunak responded to a question about whether more aid would be announced.
But in contrast Ms Truss said: ‘I would act immediately. People across the nation, including those in the area, face some of our most difficult living conditions for decades.
“It is difficult to pay fuel. It’s difficult to pay for food. I’d reverse the rise in national insurance. In our manifesto for 2019, we promised to not raise it.
“The people of this country, having voted Conservative the first time they voted, are expecting us to fulfill our promises.
“So, that would be my plan to reverse this increase in national insurance. Also, I would have a temporary moratorium of the green energy tax. It will help reduce fuel bills. I think that’s extremely important. That would immediately come in.
Faisal Islam is the BBC economist who suggested that UK debt should be reposted. Ms Truss replied that she was illustrating that after a significant world event or a severe economic shock it’s not a good economic idea to attempt to pay off the debt in the quickest possible.
“We did not do it after the Second World War. That is why we shouldn’t be doing it now. This is a huge mistake.
Sunak pointed out that this is a mistake. At a time where inflation is high and people are feeling it, interest rates continue to rise. So, in that scenario, do you think anyone would be wise to go on a huge borrowing spree that will cost tens or billions of dollars? To fuel inflation?
According to the former chancellor, if inflation is allowed to continue for longer periods of time, interest rates will rise.
He said, “It’s not moral for our children to take on the bill for bills we don’t want to pay.”
Mr Sunak’s major foreign policy announcement today was a tougher line on China, which he called the ‘biggest-long term threat to Britain’ – but allies of Ms Truss hit back, claiming he had argued for closer economic ties while in the Treasury.
Sunak promised that all the 30 Confucius Institutes within the UK would be closed in an aggressive tone toward Beijing.
These centres are said to be culture and language centres, but they have been criticised by some for being propaganda tools given the worsening relationship between China and Western countries.
Sunak, who accused China of “stealing our technology” and infiltrating universities across the country, promised to partner with Joe Biden to confront China both at home and abroad.
Truss supporters reacted skeptically to these claims. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith stated that ‘Over the past two years, Treasury has pushed very hard for an Economic Deal with China’ in spite of sanctions against him and his peer MPs, as well as a track record of human right abuses.
Sunak sent him a simple message asking where he had been in the two-year period.Sunak was also under attack by his rival for his plan to fight illegal migration. This is as he seeks the Tory grassroots votes who will determine the next Conservative leader.
On Sunday, he called the system ‘broken’ and presented a 10-point plan that consisted of a pledge to a tighter definition for who qualifies to receive asylum, as compared with that given by the ECHR. He also included enhanced powers to tag, monitor, and detain illegal migrants.
Sunak promised that Parliament would have control over who enters the UK. He proposed to set an annual limit on how many refugees the UK will accept each year. However, this cap can be modified in case of emergency.
Truss’s close allies snatched apart the proposals. They questioned Mr Sunak’s plans, saying that it wasn’t clear how refugee quotas would function and suggesting that certain of his ideas were a rebrand.
Allies of Ms Truss also inquired about a suggestion made by Mr Sunak regarding illegal migrants being housed aboard cruise ships. Truss Camp suggested that this would be arbitrary detention, a breach both of domestic and international laws.
Truss had stated that she would double the Border Force Maritime personnel levels and increase UK’s Frontline Border Force by 20% as Prime Minister. Ms Truss claimed that her plan for tackling illegal migration will be supported by the UK Bill of Rights.
Oxfam labelled the plans of both candidates as “cruel”, while Amnesty International claimed that making policy to please Tory MPs has created chaos and backlogs.
Ms Truss announced plans to improve UK growth with “full-fatfreeports”, a move which may have been interpreted as a bid for Mr Sunak to be taken advantage of, who is a strong advocate of free port policy since his days in the backbench.

Rayworth was called in to serve as a referee for Mr Sunak and Ms Truss, who were ripping pieces out of one another tonight.
What are the policies of potential PMs?
SPENDING AND TAX
Members of Tory are focused on paying less tax, which some may say is their main interest. This is what has made Liz Truss so much more popular than Rishi Sunak.
The Foreign Secretary pledged to reduce both business and personal taxes. She pledged to abandon a plan that would have raised corporation tax by 25%, as well as reverse Boris Johnson’s 1.25% increase in National Insurance which was intended to fund the NHS and Social Care.
She is confident that her economic cuts will help boost the economy. Experts have said fiscal plans would cost the Treasury £30billion, but she has insisted they will not impact public spending, because she will increase borrowing.
On the contrary, Mr Sunak has stated that his primary priority is to rein in inflation. It currently stands at 9.4 percent, which is the highest rate since the 1980s. Once that handbrake has been lifted, Sunak will be able to reduce taxes.
He portrayed himself as the fiscally conservative candidate.
Economists warn that inflation could rise to 15% this winter.
According to The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), Tory members face a “genuine choice” between the plans of Ms Truss or those of Mr Sunak. Sunak has a fiscal position similar to that of our current Government.

Since records started in 1997, the debt interest rates in June were greater than any previous month figures.

This was nearly twice the amount of last month, and the highest level since 1997 when records were first started.
In an analysis, the IFS’s Robert Joyce noted that cancelling a planned rise in corporation tax from 19 to 25 per cent would cost £17billion, though some might be clawed back in higher tax income generally if it stimulates economic growth. The National Insurance pledge will reduce tax takings by an additional £13billion and mainly help the better-off.
He also pointed out that Sunak’s plans to leave Britain with “tax going towards its highest sustained point in 70 years as part of national income” is a mistake.
Ms Truss’s plans have been backed by Prof Patrick Minford, one of Margaret Thatcher’s favourite economists.
He said that interest rates could rise to a normal level of as high as seven percent, which caused some consternation. Current interest rates are 1.5 percent. An increase in these rates would be devastating for homeowners who owe mortgage payments.
Public borrowing has already reached a new record due to the emergency bailouts that were provided during the pandemic. Last month figures interest payments on the £2.4trillion debt mountain set a new record of £19.4billion.
Today Education Secretary James Cleverly defended Ms Truss’s taxation plans and said he would not want to see interest rates at 7 per cent.
While he acknowledged that there is no way to predict the future of interest rates, he stated: “Tax reductions will stimulate economic growth.” It has to be the foundation.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt stated that Rishi Sunak was ‘prepared for honesty with the country’ regarding the financial state of the nation.
Hunt failed to win his leadership bid. He is supporting Hunt’s former chancellor for the Tory leadership election.
ITV’s Good Morning Britain interviewed him and he said that he supports Rishi sunak because a lot of people are open about their challenges, including the unfunded taxes.
“I believe we also need honesty in the future of NHS.”
Truss will reveal today what she describes as a full-fat’ version of the exchancellor’s freeports.
According to her, existing areas with low taxes are plagued by excessive red tape.
Popular Tory leader wants to make model towns as Victorian areas, such as Bournville.
The developers will not have to adhere to planning restrictions so that they can work faster.
Miss Truss has also promised to remove more bureaucracy from Mr Sunak’s eight freeports.
She and her colleagues hope that the plan will result in investment of billions of pounds.
IMMIGRATION
Today the camps clashed over who is toughest in immigration. Each side has agreed to Rwanda’s scheme to deport Channel migrants to Africa. However, none have been sent.
Sunak called the current system “broken”, and offered a 10-point plan to fix it on Sunday. He included a pledge to a tighter definition of those who qualify for asylum, as opposed to the ECHR. Also, he gave the ECHR enhanced powers to tag, monitor and detain illegal migrants.
He promised that Parliament would have control over who enters the UK, and that he would establish an annual limit on how many refugees are accepted per year. However, this cap can be modified in case of emergency.
Truss’s close allies snatched apart the proposals. They questioned Mr Sunak’s plans, saying that it wasn’t clear how refugee quotas would operate and suggesting that certain of his ideas were a rebrand.
Allies of Ms Truss also inquired about a suggestion made by Mr Sunak regarding illegal migrants being housed aboard cruise ships. Truss Camp suggested that this would be arbitrary detention, a breach both of domestic and international laws.
This led to claims that he offered unworkable “red meat” to Tory rightwingers as a result of his losing. However, the Times was informed by the camp: “Good to see Remer Truss supporting human rights lawyers.”
Sunak attempted to defend his proposal on Sunday afternoon. He told the BBC that illegal immigration was a priority for him, and that there are no other options.
He was not able to provide any assurances that the policy proposals he proposed would be legally implemented.

Today the camps clashed over who is toughest in immigration. Each side has agreed to Rwanda’s scheme to deport Channel migrants to Africa. However, none have been sent.
“What is important for us to do, however, is to be honest about the limitations that the ECHR and these European laws have on our ability, to deal with this problem.
Truss’ campaign stated that, as prime minister, she would raise the UK’s border force by 20% and double its maritime staffing. Truss also claimed that the UK Bill of Rights would give her legal basis to combat illegal immigration.
As immigration became the focus of Tory leadership race-off, she vowed that she would take on the ECHR.
Miss Truss pledged also to return to the controversial idea that Border Force should be asked to intercept Channel migrants in order to tow them to France.
Boris Johnson abandoned the idea this year, citing that it was too risky for his life. Campaign sources claimed that Miss Truss would investigate all possible strategies to turn around boats and discourage other people from making the dangerous crossing.
The Foreign Secretary uses an interview with The Mail on Sunday vow to strike Rwanda-style deals with more countries.
She stated that the Rwanda policy was “the right policy.” It will be implemented fully and I am determined to explore other countries with which we could form similar partnerships. This is the right thing.
Oxfam labelled the plans of both candidates as “cruel”, while Amnesty International claimed that making policy to please Tory MPs has created chaos and backlogs.
James Cleverly (Education Secretary), who backs Ms. Truss said today that Rishi Sunak’s suggestion that asylum seekers might be accommodated aboard cruise ships was a’reputationally quite an unfortunate thing’ for tourist destinations. The ships would be close to the shore.
Times Radio spoke to him, saying: “It is understandable (Mr Sunak), needs to present a strong position regarding migration issues. That’s what I understand.
He stated that he had not seen all the details. It would be fascinating to find out where these ships are moored, as most cruise ships can only be docked in holiday areas.
“But I don’t know if that would work for our tourist industry on the coast, as that might have a reputationally negative effect. But I will take a look at it.”
CHINA AND FOREIGN POLICY
They also clashed about China. When Mr Sunak last night declared to be ‘the biggest long-term threat to Britain, ‘allies of accused Mr Sunak of being ‘soft on China’ and pursuing closer trade links.
Yesterday night, Sir Iain Duncan Smith (former party leader) was one of five British MPs who were sanctioned for speaking out against human rights violations in China. He said that it was surprising that Mr Sunak claimed to be hard on Beijing.
Ahead of the leadership contenders’ first head-to-head TV debate tonight, Sir Iain – who is backing Miss Truss – said: ‘Over the last two years, the Treasury has pushed hard for an economic deal with China.

The ex-Chancellor was criticised for pushing closer trade relations with China, even though the country cracked down on peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong (pictured).

Allies of Ms Truss, the foreign secretary, labeled Mr Sunak a ‘totally boring failed economist’ after he vowed to double down on the £120m scheme to send migrants to Rwanda.

China sanctioned Sir Iain Duncan Smith to say that Rishi Sunak is silent on China over the last two years
This was even though China sanctioned me and four UK lawmakers, despite China violently cracking down upon peaceful democracy campaigners in Hong Kong and illegally occupying South China Sea.
“After reading this lengthy list, I’d like to pose one question to Mr Sunak: Where are you now in the last two-years?”
China’s State-controlled Global Times reported earlier this month that Mr Sunak is Beijing’s top leadership contender. Although’most candidates take a hard stance against China, one candidate is able to change that. [Sunak]communist mouthpiece claimed that the communist has “a pragmatic and clear view about developing UK-China ties”.
Team Truss sources claimed that Mr Sunak was playing catch up on China. A second source stated that Mr Sunak was “playing catch-up” on China. The source claimed that Liz had almost unilaterally brought the Government to a more difficult position regarding China.
Sunak charged his opponent with allowing Beijing’s propaganda machine to reach Britain’s universities via its Confucius Institutes. He promised to end this practice.
Chinese-funded cultural centers are accused of censorship on campus campuses, and spying upon overseas students. According to sources from the Sunak camp, nine of these institutes were established during Miss Truss’s two-year term as Education Minister.
Last night, neither side wanted to discuss the mounting evidence suggesting that Covid may have leaked from a Wuhan laboratory. A source close to the Foreign Minister said that Covid might have leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.
DEFENCE
Liz Truss has pledged to raise Britain’s spending on defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2026, and 3 per cent by 2030.
This would cost more than £22 billion on top of the current £48.2bn defence budget. She will also “review” plans to trim the Army by close to 10,000 people.