[Text/Observer Network Xia Yu] The third round of voting for the British Conservative Party’s first election will be held on the 18th local time, at which time the remaining four candidates will be selected. As the campaign progresses, the confrontation between the candidates becomes more and more intense.
In the second TV debate held on the 17th, all parties once again held fierce debates on issues such as tax policies. According to British media reports, former British Chancellor Rishi Sunak accused the current Foreign Secretary of the Communist Party of China of Liz Truss of promising a tax cut without financial support as a "socialist" fantasy plan; Trus criticized Sunak for not promoting economic growth and being responsible for the recession in the UK.
The British " Guardian " screenshot
Comprehensive foreign media reports such as the Independent and the Guardian, during the debate, Tras accused Sunak: "Rish, you have raised taxes to the highest level in 70 years. This will not drive economic growth... The fact is that increasing taxes at this time will kill economic growth." Tras also said, "If he (referring to Sunak) has a great growth plan, why haven't we seen it in the Ministry of Finance in two and a half years?"
On the 17th local time, the British Conservative Party leader candidate held a second TV debate. The Guardian video screenshot
Previously, Tras said that she would reverse the rise in national insurance in April, postpone the plan to increase corporate taxes, and cancel the green taxation. Critics say the plans will cost more than £30 billion a year. Tras believes this can be paid for through additional lending and faster economic growth. In response, Sunak criticized in the first round of television debate: "Breaking out inflation through lending is not a plan at all, but a fairy tale."
According to Reuters 3, after Sunak announced that social security contributions would increase from April and significantly increase corporate taxes in 2023, the UK government's tax revenue will reach its highest level since the 1950s, which has disturbed many Conservative MPs.
At the same time, according to a previous report by Observer.com , the inflation rate in the UK has broken records since this year. According to Reuters on June 22, citing data from the UK's National Office for Statistics, the year-on-year increase in the UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 9.1% in May, reaching the highest level since March 1982, and the UK has become the country with the highest increase in CPI among the G7 countries. The Bank of England said that by October, the UK inflation rate will exceed 11%.
UK inflation statistics in recent decades Source: BBC
In this debate, Sunak once again emphasized that immediate tax cuts come at a cost, which will cause "rise inflation, rising mortgage interest rates, and erosion of savings."
Sunak said, "I would like to stand here and say, 'I will cut taxes, I will cut taxes, everything will be fine'. But do you know? It won't... This economics that is not conservative - it is socialism."
Sunak also criticized the view of British Secretary of State for Trade Policy Penny Modant . Modant believes that existing fiscal rules can be relaxed (i.e. borrowing is only for investment, not daily expenses) so that the Ministry of Finance can spend more money to solve the cost of living. Modant said, "Too many Chancellors have too many fiscal rules, but they eventually have to give up because they can't meet these rules."
In response, Sunak said, "It's not only wrong, but dangerous." "Did you know? Even Jeremy Corbyn (formerly leader of the British Labor Party) did not recommend that we go that far... If our goal is not a stable currency, what is the significance of Conservative ?"
After two rounds of voting, there are currently 5 candidates for the Conservative Party. At around 8 pm local time on the 18th (3 am Beijing time on the 19th), the results of the third round of voting will be announced, and only four candidates will be left. On the 19th local time, the candidates will also hold the last TV debate.
On July 21, after the list of the last two candidates was released, about 200,000 members of the Conservative Party will vote for the final winner. The final result is expected to be released no later than September 5.
It is worth mentioning that the current candidates do not intend to invite resigned Prime Minister Johnson to the cabinet. The host reportedly asked the candidates present whether they would like to have Johnson in his cabinet, and if they want, please raise your hand, no candidate raised his hand.
When asked whether he would like to let Johnson serve in his cabinet, no candidate raised his hand. The Guardian video screenshot
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