By Lennon Airey (Levelling Up Correspondent)
Edited by Mark Etkind (Politics Editor)
Despite Liz Truss being the clear leader in the polls to become the next PM, polling currently 32% more than Rishi Sunak (according to https://news.sky.com/story/liz-truss-set-to-win-tory-leadership-race-by-decisive-margin-sky-news-poll-reveals-12675498), the former Chancellor of the Exchequer remains hopeful that he can win the keys to Number 10. With Sunak being portrayed as being out of touch with the rest of the British people by the Liz Truss campaign, how would a privately educated multi-millionaire, the only MP in British history to appear on the Times Rich List with a net worth of £730 million, and a former chancellor that neglected the poorest in times of crisis approach the crumbling levelling up scheme?
In a now viral video on the 20th of July, Rishi Sunak confirmed he is trying to take funding out of rural and poorer regions in order fund wealthier towns. At the fundraiser he stated, “We inherited a bunch of formulas from Labour that shoved all the funding into deprived urban areas and that needed to be undone. I started the work of undoing that”. This was met with backlash from not only Conservative members but many opposition parties. Many Conservative MPs of traditional Red Wall seats are now worried of losing their majority come next general election. What Sunak keeps saying is that is that Liz Truss’s plans are not ‘Conservative’, with Sunak priding himself on the promise of restoring patriotism and true conservative values to the heart of our political system. However, actions speak louder than words and his ‘Conservative’ chancellorship resulted in money being taken from the poorest urban areas and being reinvested into wealthier areas, and the plan for his premiership seems to be the same. Are either of the candidate’s policies truly ‘Conservative’? Or has true conservative ideology lost its value and meaning? In order to stand a chance in the next election the Conservative Party needs to redefine itself and move away from the Rich vs Poor culture war that we are facing, without throwing more fuel onto the fire.
Although the comments from Sunak was shocking, it won’t come as a surprise. Throughout Sunak’s career as an MP for Richmond, his voting record highlights one consistent theme: a neglect of the poorest. For example, on the 5th of February 2019, Sunak voted to set the main Central Government grant to Local Government for 2018-19 at 56% lower than in 2017-18 (according to https://www.theyworkforyou.com). This gives local governments fewer resources to govern their regions, with the economic control being concentrated in Westminster. This doesn’t hurt wealthier constituencies but in constituencies that are poorer or have a slightly lower economic background, this has a domino effect. Furthermore, Sunak consistently voted for a reduction in Welfare Benefits, on the 16th of November 2016 he voted for a reduction to the work allowance element of Universal Credit, and finally, on the 5th of September 2015 he voted to reduce the amount people who can be paid in tax credits. While he is consistent on policy, the consistency is in voting against supporting the most vulnerable in society. This was, however, long before his chancellorship began, which could bear little significance in the grand scheme of things. However, if these votes are ideologically ‘Conservative’ - the future of levelling up with Sunak at the helm looks worrying, with the conservative party traditionally standing for stability and lower taxes on everybody. This comes across as a an ideologically confused definition of the very meaning of ‘conservative ideology’.
While one must commend Rishi Sunak’s furlough and ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ policies, which saved businesses and reduced unemployment. He is also the chancellor that has overseen child poverty increase to 5.2 million and was also chancellor when a 2.2% drop in average disposable income was predicted, the biggest drop since records began in 1956. The wannabe PM clearly has a business plan, and a plan to restore growth. Nevertheless, this would be at the expense of millions of families who, during the Cost-of-Living Crisis, need help now, not only in the years to come. His plans to not cut taxes and his lack of immediacy to deal with the cost of energy in the UK are cautionary signs for conservative councillors and MPs as the poorest in Britain anticipate a cold and hungry winter. Furthermore, the proposed windfall tax by the Labour Party is on the list of proposals rejected by Sunak. Sunak is clearly not the ‘populist’ character in this race. He is suggesting that economically, we cannot afford as a country to ‘borrow’ our way out of a crisis. He arguably jeopardies his chances of victory by saying what he considers a harsh truth. Although it may not be what people want to hear, it is however the unfortunate reality of today’s economy. Thus, Sunak is behind in the current polls, yet he believes he is absolutely infallible regarding the economic state of affairs. In fact, The Independent reported that Shell paid £0 in tax on their oil and gas production in 2021. Instead, they received £100 million of taxpayer’s money from the UK government. This occurred whilst Sunak occupied Number 11 Downing Street and clearly shows Sunak’s preferential treatment of big business and corporation over working and suffering people.
Despite attempting to label himself with ‘integrity’ since to his resignation attempting to forget his long-time support for Boris Johnson and his attendance at a Downing Street Party it is the British people who will have their say on his decency, not now, but if he leads the Tories into the general election. Immediate alternatives to curb the cost-of-living now could be: to enshrine the ‘Right to Food’ into legislation, ensuring no family or child has to go hungry with winter fast approaching, Inflation proofing incomes, bringing utilities back to public ownership, and introducing a wealth tax. Sunak, however, doesn’t seem to have any plan or proposal to deal with soaring inflation and the recession predicted to approaches us. It truly begs the question if a privately educated millionaire is really fit to govern, especially in the economic crisis that we find ourselves in. To deal with this scenario, the PM will really have to relate and resonate with ordinary people, people who were once comfortable but now are facing the dilemma of ‘Eat or Heat’. Sunak’s £730 million wealth and his wife’s fortune alongside her non-domicile tax status puts Sunak immediately out of touch with those on the poverty line. This may be a good reason as to why Truss currently leads the way in the polls. Liz Truss was educated in a state school, which will enable her more so to resonate with the people who need help the most.
The Conservative Government was elected in 2019 with the pledge to level up the country, so that places like Newcastle and Leeds were equally attractive places to work and live in as London. This was hoped to disperse trade and money throughout the country, and to create a somewhat self-sufficient economy that works for everyone following Brexit. However, with a recession no doubt on its way and a cost-of-living crisis, the future of levelling up may be put on the backburner - a potential concern for constituents of less wealthy constituencies. Surely, a sensible plan would be to integrate levelling up with an immediate response to the cost-of-living, but the former chancellor seems reductant to do so soon (given his voting record) or doesn’t appear to be the politician to truly level up Britain in these trying times.
So, how would the future of Levelling Up fare under a Sunak government, would he restore true conservative belief for low taxes and stability, or would he further his own personal definition of conservatism given that he has a reputation of fuelling the fire of class warfare and a seeming desire to ensure the rich get richer, despite the cost and potential for the poor to become poorer. In what appears to be a replica of the political philosophy of Margaret Thatcher, a Rishi Sunak government could potentially see an increase to not only economic inflation, but an inflation in social unrest, with the expected recession as well as the current Cost of living Crisis eating away at our economy. The working-class element of British society faces a bigger challenge now than ever before. Yet Rishi Sunak doesn’t appear to have a suitable plan in place to really capture the mood in the UK and solve the cost-of-living crisis for everyone, not just the richest in society.
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