The leaders are getting ready to face off for the first time when Keir Starmer declared war on Liz Truss, calling her “out of touch.”
The Tory candidate was given a symbolic congratulations by the Labour leader when she was named the victor of the election.
However, he launched an assault against Ms. Truss’s proposals to halt corporation tax hikes, charging her with neglecting the cost-of-living crisis.
He also asked to know how the premier would pay for a potential freeze in energy prices, highlighting the fact that Labour was recommending a higher windfall tax on oil and gas companies, as they began their first PMQs debate on Wednesday.
After defeating Rishi Sunak for the position of president, Ms. Truss vowed to be “bold” in reducing taxes and boosting the economy.
In a flashy ceremony at the QE2 Centre in Westminster, 1922 committee head Sir Graham Brady delivered the close-to-expected outcome of 57% to 43%.
Being the new leader of the “largest political party on Earth,” according to Ms. Truss, is a “honour.” I am aware that the British people share our ideals, she remarked.
“I ran for office as a Conservative, and I’ll rule as a Conservative,” I’ll provide a daring idea to reduce taxes and expand our economy.
She said, alluding to the possibility of an impending general election, “We will deliver a fantastic win for the Conservative Party in 2024.”
Affirming that he “got Brexit done, destroyed Jeremy Corbyn, rolled out the vaccination, and stood up to Vladimir Putin,” Ms. Truss also paid respect to her “friend” Boris Johnson, who will formally cede authority to her tomorrow.
Ms Truss “has the appropriate plan to confront the cost of living crisis, unite our party, and continue the tremendous work of uniting and levelling up our country,” Mr. Johnson wrote in a tweet congratulating her.
But Ms. Truss is “not on the side of working people,” Sir Keir claimed in a speech at Friern Barnet School in north London.
He stated, “The single most critical issue weighing heavily on so many millions of people is the cost of living crisis, which we have heard far more about from the most recent prime minister about business tax cuts over the summer than we have about.”
‘That shows not only that she’s out of touch, but she’s not on the side of working people. So she needs to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, she needs to deal with the fact the NHS is on its knees, and she needs to deal with the collapse of law and order.
‘There can be no justification for not freezing energy prices. There’s a political consensus that needs to happen. She needs to ask the question of how she’s going to pay for that. Labour was clear that oil and gas companies must pay a windfall tax.
Therefore, after 12 years of this Tory Government’s failure, “she needs to demonstrate that she actually understands and can meet the challenges that are there.”
Additionally, Sir Keir tweeted, “I’d like to congratulate Liz Truss as she prepares to serve as our next prime minister.
But twelve years of the Tories have only left us with high prices, low wages, and a cost-of-living crisis.
“Only Labour can bring about the new beginning our nation needs.”