The conservative candidates who aspire to succeed Boris Johnson tried this Friday, to a greater or lesser extent, to distance themselves from the prime minister’s legacywho questioned his honesty or decisions such as the rise in social security, in the first televised debate between them.
(You might be interested in: United Kingdom: two candidates resign to succeed Boris Johnson)
After a white glove start, in which everyone recognized the virtues of their opponents, the five candidates soon began to draw their lines, giving rise to a more heated discussion than it seemed at first.
(It might interest you: ‘I’m leaving with my head held high,’ says Boris Johnson before Parliament)
Despite the fact that the format of the debate provided for questions from the citizens present as an audience in “Channel 4”, the presenter of the program – who was allowed to cross-examine – fired the first poison dart by asking the applicants if they believed that Johnson is “honest” .
From the ambiguous response given by the “loyal” Foreign Minister, Liz Truss, to the “sometimes” that the deputy Kemi Badenoch snapped, none of those present dared to give an affirmative answer, although the most blunt was the president of the commission of Foreigners, Tom Tugendhat, who shook his head and was applauded by the public.
The main favorite and until now the leader in the two votes of the conservative deputies – who will leave the list in only two candidates who will be submitted to the vote of the “tory” militancy -, Rishi Sunak, acknowledged that he wanted to give Johnson “the benefit of doubt”, but finally could not do it anymore and therefore resigned from the Government.
By promising “honesty and responsibility” to citizens if he is elected leader of the Conservative Party and thus Prime Minister, Sunak clearly distanced himself from the man who chose him at the head of the most relevant portfolio after being elected in 2019.
The unknown Mordaunt
There was great expectation to see the performance of the favorite in the bookmakers and until now second in the votes of the deputies, the Secretary of State for Commerce, Penny Mordaunt.
However, the former Defense Minister suffered attacks from the other two candidates from the right wing of the Conservatives, Truss and Badenoch, and could hardly shine.
“I am not the traditional offer, nor the continuation candidate; I am the future,” Mordaunt said in his brief closing statement.
He was almost unable to set his own profile and his proposals were refuted by a Sunak who sometimes appeared a little crazy and with a superb point and by a Truss who is forced to overcome her if she wants to reach the primary election of the affiliates.
In addition, Mordaunt starred in one of the main clashes of the evening on account of some past statements about transsexuals, which forced her to clarify that although they should enjoy the same legal rights, “they should not be recognized as equals in areas such as the sport”.
Those who received the greatest applause on the set were Sunak and Tugendhat himself, knowing that his chances are remote and that, perhaps for this reason, he seemed to speak with much greater freedom than the rest.
Badenoch, for his part, also left a pleasant impression thanks to the forcefulness of his interventions, somewhat overshadowed by a recurrent cough that has sparked rumors about a possible covid infection.
It should not be forgotten that although the debate was televised throughout the country, it will be the meager group of 358 “Tory” deputies and later the nearly 160,000 party members, more ideological than the population as a whole.
For this reason, Sunak’s arguments in favor of a tax increase to keep the public health service (NHS) afloat may have a certain echo in a general public, but they were strongly contested by Truss, who asked that the United Kingdom continue borrowing to get out of an extraordinary situation like the current one.
The next televised debate will take place on Sunday and the last on Monday.
throughout the next week the “Tories” deputies will continue to vote to leave only two candidates competing for Johnson’s position.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE
More world news:
-Chile: President Boric says what he will do if the new Constitution is rejected
-EE US to introduce bill to ban assault weapons
-Biden begins meeting with Bin Salmán focused on Oil
#Prime #Minister #Candidates #Disassociate #Johnsons #Legacy