BRITISH PM CONTENDERS SET TO CLASH IN SECOND TV DEBATE

Sun 17 July 2022:

The British political system is in a bind as a result of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation. In the wake of numerous scandals, he resigned, and a clear successor is not yet in view. Differences within the ruling Conservative Party are coming to light as the competition for the position of the next leader becomes more fractious and explosive.

The chosen five candidates will square off in their upcoming televised debate on Sunday (July 17)as they continue to compete for the position of leader of the party and the nation. According to Reuters, they may rekindle “hostilities” over tax policy and topics like transgender rights during the upcoming debate.

Among the 358 Conservative lawmakers, Rishi Sunak, the former finance minister who was recently referred to as a “treacherous” by a top leader, has emerged as the front-runner. This week, additional votes will be held to narrow the field of candidates to a final two.

Reuters reported that in a poll conducted by JL Partners for the Sunday Telegraph, almost half of Conservative voters favoured him above his major competitors, foreign minister Liz Truss and junior minister Penny Mordaunt.

Economic policy was a major topic of argument in the first TV debate on Friday (July 15). Sunak even called Truss’s proposals to eliminate payroll tax and corporation tax rises at a cost of almost $30 billion a year a “fairy tale.”

In response, she said that the tax increases proposed by her rival proposed while Sunak was still in command of the Treasury—undermined business investments at a time when the economy was in trouble.

Sharp disagreements regarding transgender issues and Johnson’s sincerity also arose.

On Monday, conservative lawmakers will vote again; the person receiving the fewest votes will be eliminated, and the final two will be chosen by July 21.

Party members will then select a winner, whose identity will be revealed on September 5.

Following Johnson’s scandal-plagued administration, whoever wins the election will have to deal with high inflation, slow economic growth, and the public’s lack of faith in politics.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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