UK: Rishi Sunak vows to fight & not let PM race become 'coronation' for rival Liz Truss

UK PM contender, Rishi Sunak has positioned himself as the underdog in the Conservative Party's leadership race, vowing that he will not let the Tory leadership election become a "coronation" for rival Liz Truss. The former chancellor also acknowledged that he is trailing Truss in the polls, but Sunak stressed that he will "fight for every vote" even though polls among Conservatives showed Truss with a sizable advantage.

Sunak stated at the LBC hustings held in Leeds on July 28, "I am the underdog.... I know the polls say I’m behind in this race. I know there are people who say there should be a coronation, not a contest..... I’m asking for all of your support. And I promise you I am gonna fight for every single vote."

He promised to "grip" inflation, deal with the NHS backlog, and "reunite" the nation, but he added that he would refrain from going on a spending binge that would involve borrowing tens of billions of pounds in unfunded pledges and charging them to the nation's credit card.

Rishi Sunak has frequently been reprimanded by his party members for his pricey suits and lavish lifestyle. In response to the culture secretary Nadine Dorries' criticism on the expense of his suit and shoes, Sunak replied, "It’s not about what shoes or suit I’m wearing, it’s about what I’m going to do for the country." The audience applauded loudly in response to his remark.

Tax system to play key role in UK PM race?

In his remarks to Conservative members at the first official hustings event, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledged that his vow to delay personal tax cuts until inflation is under control was not widely supported. At the gathering on the night of July 28 in Leeds, northeast England, his challenger, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who has vowed to lower taxes as soon as she assumes office, appeared to receive a warmer greeting.

The British tax system, according to Truss, has to be fair for families and undergo a "full revision" since it is "too convoluted." Truss received a big boost when Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed his support for her candidacy for PM, telling The Sun media agency that Sunak was wrong to leave the cabinet and bring Johnson down.

In his campaign to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, Sunak is attempting to cut into Truss' sizable advantage in the polls among Conservative party members. Before the winner is declared on September 5, the two will hold a series of hustings throughout the UK this summer to win over the support of about 175,000 party members.

Image: AP