However, as the audience moved from legislators to members of rank and file, Ms. Truss secured the lead over Mr. Sunak, something she has not given up in her six weeks of appearances in the battle. general election translation. Her promises to cut taxes and shrink government are Tory party credentials, even as some economists say they won’t do much to solve the problems. of England, and may even make them worse.
Mr. Sunak, 42, a former investment banker whose Indian parents immigrated to Britain in the 1960s, will make history if he wins, becoming the first white prime minister. British ancestor.
Despite Mr Sunak’s fiery performance in some of the debates that followed, his message – that the government should not cut taxes before taming inflation – was less appealing to the general public. more loyal party members than Mr. Truss. Speculation that Mr Sunak was stymied by racism has surfaced during the election campaign, although he has been clearly crippled by criticism about his wealth and affluent lifestyle.
Many members also never forgave him for his role in Mr Johnson’s ouster; he was one of two major figures in the Conservative Party, along with Sajid Javid, to resign from the cabinet, sparking a wave of rapid defections that made Mr Johnson’s position no longer available.
At times, the campaign turns bitter. Mr. Sunak and his allies dismissed Ms. Truss’ economic plans as irresponsible. A former cabinet minister, Michael Gove, described them as a “holiday from reality”.
Throughout her career, however, Ms. Truss has shown an instinct to adopt a more politically advantageous position, changing her stance when necessary. While a student at Oxford University, she was an active member of Britain’s centre-right party, the Liberal Democrats, before switching to the Tories after she graduated. She campaigned against Britain leaving the European Union during the 2016 referendum campaign, only to become an official Brexiteer after the vote.
