The Prime Minister says the UK has “turned the corner”, allowing him to focus on cutting taxes. Photo: David Rosa for the Telegraph
Rishi Sunak says the next election could be held in 11 months. But in some ways he may already be in the middle of an election campaign.
His defense of Rwandan legislation aimed at unblocking deportation flights for illegal migrants comes with a warning: “Voting for anyone other than Conservative is a vote for Keir Starmer to come to power.”
Specter Nigel Farage's political comeback is spooking right-wing Tory MPs and he is clearly on Mr Sunak's mind as he gives his first newspaper interview of the year since his speech in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Senior Tories are worried that if Farage returned to head the reform party, the former Brexit Party, populist candidates could draw disaffected Conservative voters away from Conservative candidates, giving many potential Labor MPs a clear advantage.
The Prime Minister said on Thursday his “working assumption” was that he would call an election in the second half of the year. But he told a gathering of Conservative councilors and business leaders in Mansfield that the public would see him “every week between this election and the next one, talking to people across the country about what we are doing to make their lives better.” better.”
This commitment sounds a little tedious, given that elections are not expected until November.
But sitting in a conference room on the ground floor of the Mansfield Youth Centre, the Prime Minister is keen to convey a sense of energy and optimism, insisting his economic plan is working and that he is making progress on his priorities.
< Mr Sunak wears a chinos and open-necked shirt combination, which has become something of a uniform due to his appearance, and jokes to the well-prepared crowd: "I have to say, it's very rare that I'm one of the few people in room without costumes. We apologize for not getting dressed.”
'Our plan will work'
Speaking to The Telegraph afterward, the prime minister said Britain had “turned the corner” allowing him to focus on cutting taxes – which is what he is committing to. do both before the general election and if the Conservatives win another term.
The question is about his promise to do “everything possible” to stop the flow of small boats across the English Channel, and whether he would be prepared to campaign (as some Tories want) on a promise to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. Right, triggers a warning.
“I don’t want to get into speculation about the future,” he insists. “I am focused on executing our plan and I am confident that our plan will work. I have gone through this thoroughly, it is the most complex legislation that has ever been brought before Parliament to deal with this problem.
“And I believe that this solves all the problems of the Supreme Court, that it means that we will be able to implement our scheme and will not be able to abuse it by people or courts blocking it. I've also made it clear that I won't let a foreign court stop us from flying out.” But he adds: “I would say this: a vote for anyone other than the Conservatives is a vote for Keir Starmer to come to power.” authorities. Keir Starmer doesn't care about this question, Keir Starmer's only answer to this question is a cozy deal with the EU, which we will see as they have to accept even more migrants.
“So look, if you care about this issue, my track record will tell you that I'm someone who's done it and I'm determined to see it through, and voting for anyone who isn't a Conservative will mean that you don’t I don’t see any progress on this issue at all.”
Tax cuts before and after the elections
Asked directly about the threat posed by Farage's potential return, Mr Sunak reiterates: “The choice at the next election is either I become prime minister at the end of it or Keir Starmer becomes prime minister at the next election.” this is over.”
Although Mr Sunak has “cut his figures by more than a third” and will “do everything we can to prevent this from happening in the future”, Sir Keir said he was focused on negotiations with EU on this issue, “and that will mean accepting more.”
Mr Sunak will use the interview to draw a clear dividing line with the Labor Party on tax issues, promising he will cut taxes both before and after the election, funded by curbs on benefits and other government spending. As a statement of intent, he points to the 2p National Insurance cut announced in the Autumn Statement and implemented on Saturday, as well as a separate tax cut for businesses.
“The autumn announcement provided the largest set of tax cuts in a single instance since the 1980s. This should give people an idea of the scale of what we've just done, and of my ambition and the Chancellor's determination to cut taxes,” says the Prime Minister.
“This shows we mean business . When I say I want to keep cutting taxes, that's what we're going to do. We're going to do this responsibly. This requires difficult decisions about government spending. Managing wealth requires difficult decisions.
“I believe that these are the right actions for our country. That's what I want to do. I'm very clear: I want to control government spending, I want to control wealth, and that's what we do, and because we do that, and because we're disciplined about borrowing and our debt, we're going to be able to cut taxes. That's exactly what we're doing this Saturday. That's what we want to continue to do.”
Mr Sunak says he will take a similar approach when it comes to setting out his agenda for his next term in government.
“If [Labour] ever gets elected, your taxes will go up. This is the difference. And you all know that you will no longer have your own money. This is exactly what the Conservative government intends to provide.
“We started with the spring budget, but believe me, we haven’t stopped. I want to continue to lower taxes for the people. We cannot do this unless we limit the growth of the public sector and government spending. That will be the contrast between us and the Labor Party at the next election.
“A lot of people will say to us, oh my God, you're not going to spend enough here, there and everywhere. I'll be very clear. My priority is cutting taxes, not increasing government spending. We need a more efficient public sector, not a larger public sector. That's the plan. The only way to reduce taxes over time is to have a smaller, more efficient public sector.”
“The Nobility of Labor”
The Prime Minister has refused to say whether he could cut inheritance tax, a concern among many Tory MPs. During his Q&A session with local Tories and business leaders, he specifically noted that he was unlikely to respond to calls to raise the £85,000 threshold at which firms currently pay VAT, saying: “We really have the most the highest VAT threshold of all large companies.” The world's leading economy. So I’ll leave you with this.”
But he suggests his priority will be to raise taxes “to work”, in the spirit of this weekend's National Insurance cuts.
“I never comment on individual tax policies, nor would you expect me to, and it would be inappropriate. But I can tell you what kind of country I want to build… I believe in the nobility of work, I believe that work is central to people's lives. And I believe that in a society where people work hard, there must be a society where their hard work is rewarded. And that's why I'm very pleased that we've cut national insurance tax significantly, because it's a tax on work.”
Mr Sunak's government has been criticized by Brexiteers for scaling back ambitions to abolish or overhaul all bureaucratic red tape created by the EU. But he seized on the Nottinghamshire businessman's warning after his speech that bureaucratic red tape was holding his firm back.
Mr Sunak wants to control public spending and target taxes “on work”. Photo: David Rose for The Telegraph
Pointing to Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP for Mansfield, who introduced him at the event, Mr Sunak says: “If you have specific examples, pass them on to Ben so he can get to me. I'm all for this bureaucratic red tape. But what I can’t work with is general red tape, I need specific ones.
“You need to tell him, this regulation, this form that you make me fill out, this thing, give him those. He will give them to me, and then I will go look at them. But I need a specific thing that I'll look at and then say: great, we don't need that, we can pass on that.”
Mr Sunak is unlikely to be speaking figuratively when he says he will review individual provisions of the regulation. His insistence on taking many difficult policy issues personally, line by line, has impressed and sometimes irritated aides and ministers.
Referring to the Horizon Post Office scandal, the Prime Minister says he will “make sure “so that we learn lessons across the whole public sector, not just the Post Office” and officials “ensure that something similar cannot happen” elsewhere.
One area in which he suggests he will not be involved, at least publicly, is the review currently being carried out by Lucy Fraser, the culture secretary, into the UAE-backed takeover of The Telegraph, which has been publicly opposed by a number of Senior Tories.
He says: “I care deeply about the integrity and freedom of our press. It is a cornerstone of democracy, but an especially important part of our democracy. And that's what I will always defend… That's what it's all about.
“The specific situation you are talking about I cannot comment on because there is a quasi-judicial process that is being carried out by the Secretary of State.”
Return to Parliament
Mr Sunak will return to Parliament this week for the first time since the Christmas break. ready to deal with internal Tory disputes over his Rwanda law, as well as fights with Sir Keir.
For Christmas, he says. “I was really excited to spend a few days at home in North Yorkshire with my family. Being with my two girls is how I recharge my batteries. So it's great to spend a little time with them.”
His Christmas included a “fancy walk with the dog,” “lots of time with the kids,” and an assignment to make “not brilliantly cooked roast potatoes.” ” and traveled to Southampton to see his football club beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 on December 29.
” This is my boyhood club and boy have we had a good season ” said the Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak may well be wondering how he can repeat their success when he calls an election.
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