Truss says lockdown policy went ‘too far’, especially with school closures
Liz Truss has joined Rishi Sunak, her rival in the Tory leadership contest, in saying the Covid lockdown was too strict. Asked about Sunak’s comments in his Spectator interview (see 9.22am and 9.47am), she said:
I didn’t actually sit on the Covid committee during that time, I was busy striking trade deals around the world.
My view is we did go too far, particularly on keeping schools closed.
I’ve got two teenage daughters and know how difficult it was for children and parents and I would not have a lockdown again …
I was very clear in cabinet, I was one of the key voices in favour of opening up.
Key events
Filters BETA
Sunak says we need to overcome an aversion to “flat pack” housing and he wants to help young people get on the housing ladder much faster by “turbo-charging” a scheme that allows first time buyers to purchase a home with a small deposit.
Sunak says he wants to look at the school curriculum as we are “pretty much” the only advanced economy in the world that allows children to give up maths by age 18.
He adds he also wants to improve apprenticeships.
Sunak says he will invest in the armed forces but says doesn’t believe in arbitrary targets.
Asked who he would rather be stuck in a lift with, Keir Starmer or Nicola Sturgeon, Sunak says he would take the stairs.
But the former chancellor says Truss would make a better prime minister than Boris Johnson.
The former chancellor claims a “woke” ideology is stopping police forces from doing what they want to do and cites stop and search as an example.
Sunak reaffirms that he would not abandon the UK’s net zero carbon policy.
He said innovation, such as small modular reactors, was key to reducing emissions, while also reducing bills and creating jobs.
During the Q&A session, Sunak reiterated promises to cut VAT on energy bills and target extra support to the poorest and the elderly, attacking Liz Truss’s tax-cut plans, which he believes would not benefit the latter.
Truss reiterates she would add 3% to defence spending by the end of the decade if she becomes PM.
Truss has vowed to remove top-down housing targets and create low-tax investment zones.
The foreign secretary adds it has taken “far too long” to get the A47 made into a dual carriageway and the Ely rail junction improved.
Liz Truss, who was introduced onto the stage by the work and pensions secretary Thérèse Coffey, argues that after two decades of relatively low growth, it could no longer be business as usual.
Truss said: “We shouldn’t have put up national insurance – we promised not to in our manifesto.”
She said she would legislate immediately to stop trade unions disrupting public services.
The former chancellor pledges to reward businesses which innovate and expand with tax cuts.
He added that he will not pursue policies that risk making inflation worse and longer lasting.
Rishi Sunak, who was backed by the health secretary Steve Barclay on stage, begins with familiar rhetoric about the NHS needing to be reformed, taking on “lefty woke culture”, and adding that he has “radical plans” to tackle illegal immigration to ensure “proper control of our borders”.
We are underway in Norwich with the introductory speeches from chair of the national convention, Peter Booth.
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss go head-to-head at 7pm
The penultimate Conservative leadership hustings will take place in Norwich shortly. You can follow all of the action here.
More than 1.1m visas were issued in the 12 months to June to people coming to the UK for work, study or family reasons, or through one of the government’s settlement schemes.
A total of 331,233 work visas were granted, along with 491,924 study visas and 36,470 family visas, plus 5,214 visas for dependents joining or accompanying others.
In addition, 133,854 were issued under the Ukraine visa schemes, 75,764 were granted to British National (Overseas) status holders from Hong Kong, 40,602 were issued under the EU settlement scheme, and 3,230 under other settlement schemes.
The combined total of 1,118,291 visas is the fourth successive record high for a 12-month period since current figures began in 2005.
Kevin Foster, the minister for safe and legal migration, said: “The government has delivered on its promise to the British people to take back control of our immigration system and bring the brightest and best skilled workers to grow our economy.”
The government will step up to help people more over the coming months, a minister has promised ahead of record energy bills set to be announced on Friday.
Will Quince, an education minister, said there was “no question” there would be further support on top of what was announced in May.
Energy bills are widely expected to top £3,500 per year for the average household from the start of October, compared with £1,971 today.
“There is no question in my mind whatsoever, both listening to the two leadership candidates but also just looking at our economy … that the government is going to act and put in place a further package of support measures,” Quince told LBC radio.
“Now, we will have to wait a couple of weeks for a new prime minister to set out their agenda alongside a new chancellor, but both leadership contenders have been clear there will be a fiscal event and more help will be coming.”
