Tory leadership hopeful Rishi Sunak has said he sees Margaret Thatcher as a role model for how to run the country if he becomes prime minister.
He said he saw parallels between his own upbringing and the Iron Lady’s, saying that she was brought up living above her father’s grocery shop while he helped out in his mum’s pharmacy.
‘We will cut taxes and we will do it responsibly,’ he said in his first campaign interview.
‘That’s my economic approach. I would describe it as common sense Thatcherism.
‘I believe that’s what she would have done.’
Baroness Thatcher, the UK’s first female PM, was in office from May 4 1979 until November 28 1990.
Her time in office was controversial, presiding over privatisation of state companies, the mass sale of council homes and reduction of the power of trade unions.
A polarising figure, she is still popular among many Tories – and Mr Sunak seems to be hoping he can benefit from some of that nostalgia.
He told the Telegraph that he was following her approach more than his rivals because he was prioritising inflation, rather than just saying he will cut taxes immediately – which saw some label him not a true Conservative.
The field of candidates was officially confirmed this evening, with eight people on the ballot – not including Sajid Javid, who dropped out the running.
Rishi Sunak seems to be in the lead so far, with allies of Boris Johnson said to be backing Liz Truss as a ‘Stop Rishi’ candidate.
Earlier today at his campaign launch, there was an awkward moment when people began booing Sky journalist Beth Rigby.
She had raised previous controversies including his Covid fine and his billionaire wife Akshata Murty not paying tax on her overseas income as she was registered as a nom dom – something she has now changed.
Her microphone seemed to be cut off as she asked the question saying he was a ‘corrosive’ figure to some, leading some to speculate it was because of the critical question itself.
But it was seen on BBC and Sky, and is understood to have been a technical issue.
Rishi Sunak’s answer was perfectly audible as he said he had already responded to this issues when they were raised at the time.
His rivals in the leadership race also criticised some of his views, with Jeremy Hunt saying he is ‘worried’ his economic policy would lead the country ‘into recession’.
The former health secretary told LBC radio: ‘Rishi Sunak is… increasing corporation tax and it will be higher than not just America or Japan, but France and Germany as well.
‘And I’m worried that on our current trajectory, we’re heading into recession, and we’ll be there for too long…
‘I was very worried when he announced his budget… The thing that struck me was this slashing of the growth forecast for next year’.
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