Former chancellor endorses Truss in leadership race as the candidates prepare for Sky debate this evening
Liz Truss has said an £8.8bn black hole in her savings budget caused by her abandoning a policy to cut public sector wages was not part of her “central costings” for funding a range of spending pledges, as she suggested the policy had been a “mistake”.
She also defended her stance on Brexit as a former remain supporter, claiming that the disruption she was concerned about prior to the referendum did not happen, despite the long queues recently seen at Channel crossings at the start of the school holidays.
It was never intended to apply to nurses, doctors and teachers. So I wanted to clear the matter up straight away. And I have been very clear. We’re now not going ahead with that policy.
It wasn’t a central part of my policy platform. And I’ve been clear that it is not happening.
The last thing Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson would have done was what Liz is suggesting, ie. coming forward with all these unfunded tax cuts to stoke up inflation.
They got control of inflation and then Lawson went on to be one of the greatest tax cutting chancellors in our history. And that’s what Rishi can provide.