- Tuesday, March 11, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
BRITISH prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak has admitted that he was the underdog in the race with Liz Truss to become the next occupant of 10 Downing but vowed that he would not give up without a fight.
The 42-year-old leader of South Asian origin has also said that his pledges not to slash personal taxes until inflation comes under control did not have a universal appeal. He told members of the ruling Conservative Party on Thursday (28) at the first official hustings event, “Even though it hasn’t made my life easy, it is the honest thing to do.”
Sunak and Truss began their first debate in front of party members as they wage a bitter battle to succeed Boris Johnson as the outgoing British premier. The hustings in Leeds in northern England marked the opening round of 12 nationwide grassroots events as the members elect a new leader post Johnson’s resignation earlier this month.
Truss, who has pledged to cut taxes if she becomes the prime minister, was given a warm reception at Leeds. She promised to make a “complete review” of Britain’s tax system, saying it was “too complicated” and should be fair for people.
The 46-year-old foreign minister also received a major boost when British defence secretary Ben Wallace said that he was backing her, telling The Sun newspaper that Sunak erred by walking out of the cabinet and triggered the downfall of Johnson.
Sunak is desperately trying to make inroads into Truss’s wide polling lead among the Tory party members.
The duo will embark on a series of hustings across the UK over the summer to secure the votes of the majority of the Conservative party members before the winner is announced September 5.
“I know the polls say I’m behind in this race,” Sunak said in his opening pitch at the Thursday event. “I’m asking for all of your support. And I promise you, I am going to fight for every single vote.”
[With agency inputs]
