After the last televised leadership debate was cancelled when Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak pulled out, we asked the remaining three candidates if they would come on SpectatorTV to face questions before Tory MPs’ final vote. (Since going to press the contenders will have been whittled down to two.) This is an edited transcript of their answers.
Do you propose tax cuts? If so, how would you pay for them?
PENNY MORDAUNT: On the current trajectory Rishi’s set us on, we are going to be one of the most uncompetitive nations in the OECD and that cannot be allowed to happen. We have to be able to compete. So there will need to be some changes. But exactly what – and when – is not the issue for this contest.
LIZ TRUSS: Raising taxes will choke off growth and make it harder for us to pay our debt back. I propose reversing the National Insurance increase.
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