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Rishi Sunak kicks off Tory leadership campaign with backing of top ministers

Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has officially launched her campaign to become the next prime minister, promising to fight a clean election and vowing not to “take down” Boris Johnson.

But the offer of a truce to Johnson, still aflame over Sunak’s alleged “betrayal”, went unanswered: the outgoing prime minister’s allies mobilized on Tuesday to try “stop Rishi”.

Brexit Opportunity Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, Johnson’s staunchest cabinet ally, announced in Downing Street that they would support Foreign Secretary Liz Truss bearing the far-right, pro-flag Brexit in the election.

Rees-Mogg said that Truss, who campaigned for Remain in 2016, was “a proper Europist” and that she opposed in the cabinet a series of tax increases by Sunak, whom he called “a socialist”.

As the leadership race reached its first key moment – the closing of nominations at 6pm on Tuesday – interior secretary Priti Patel confirmed she would not stand.

Patel’s allies have said she is considering backing Truss, who is emerging as the preferred choice of the right-wing Tory, or new prime minister Nadhim Zahawi.

Sunak launched his campaign vowing to heal divisions within the party, claiming that Johnson had “a kind heart” and that he was “one of the most remarkable people I have ever met”. He added: “Is he flawed? Yes, but so are all of us.”

At the forefront of the campaign are deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and transport minister Grant Shapps, who have backed him.

Shapps withdrew from the leadership contest on Tuesday before the nomination deadline. Tory MPs believe he will not secure the support of the 20 colleagues needed to go to the ballot box.

As the deadline approached, and with the first round of voting taking place on Wednesday, there was frenzied activity at Westminster as the candidates tried to build momentum.

Former equality minister Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat, chair of the House foreign affairs select committee, launched their campaigns, while Penny Mordaunt, a commerce minister and favorite of the House of Commons party activists, winning the support of former Brexit secretary David Davis.

Davis said Mordaunt was “most likely to beat Rishi Sunak”. Many Tory MPs believe Mordaunt or Truss will make the final shortlist of the two along with the former prime minister elected by party members.

Sunak’s debut attracted the most media attention. He promised to hold a “mature conversation” with the party and said he would only implement tax cuts when inflation was under control.

He focused on business tax reform to spur investment and innovation, and a “new consensus” on immigration that combines “border control” with a regime that allows talent into the UK to boost growth. chief.

Sunak, whose cause has long been supported by Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former chief adviser, said the controversial official would have “absolutely nothing to do with any government in which I have special interests.” hegemony”.

Shapps was joined in the premiere by former Tory whip leader Gavin Williamson. The two Sunak supporters came together to organize Johnson’s successful leadership campaign in 2019.

Sunak has faced strong criticism from its rivals for presiding over a series of tax hikes. More candidates are recommending tax cut in an attempt to appeal the party’s rights.

The chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, the independent fiscal watchdog, said on Tuesday that any proposed tax cuts should “cumulatively add up,” warning that they are not what matters. most important for long-term economic growth.

Speaking at the Institute for Government Studies, Richard Hughes said that the question to ask candidates promising tax cuts is: “Will you reconsider those spending increases or look somewhere else?”

He also questioned the impact of tax cuts on boosting growth.

“Tax cuts could provide some short-term stimulus to demand, but they will come amid rising inflation and interest rates, as well as uncertainty about the outlook,” he said. medium term fiscal.

Badenoch announced as chancellor she would meet her net-zero climate target, saying the policy has taken a toll on UK industry with emissions only rising elsewhere.

Badenoch, who was born in London but spent her childhood in the US and Nigeria, said she believes in “free markets, limited government and a strong nation”. She is supported by former promoted minister Michael Gove.

At his launch, Tugendhat said the UK was “in dire need of partisan unity”, pledged a “fresh start” for the party and said voters were facing an economic crisis.

“For a lot of people, there are more months than paychecks. There are divisions in our politics, an economy burdened with debt and despair about our future,” he said.

He also pledged to continue Johnson’s upgrade agenda to tackle inequality in the region, proposing an “Oxbridge of the North” for vocational education, plus a deregulation agenda. decisions regarding Brexit.

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