Tory Conference Begins With Towns Funding Pledge

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing internal party pressure on various fronts, including demands for tax cuts and concerns over the HS2 high-speed rail project…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is in Manchester for what could be his final party conference before the upcoming election. In preparation for the four-day event, he unveiled a £1.1 billion funding package for towns labelled as “neglected” by the government.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces internal party pressure on various fronts, including demands for tax cuts and concerns over the HS2 high-speed rail project, the BBC reported.

The conference’s eve brought a significant blow as Richard Walker, the CEO of Iceland supermarkets and a prominent party supporter, announced his resignation, criticising the Conservative Party for having “lost its way.” Although Walker had aspired to become a Conservative MP, he parted ways with the party, citing a perception of them being “out of touch.”

Within the Conservative Party itself, some MPs are pushing for tax reductions, and Rishi Sunak’s predecessor, Liz Truss, intends to call for a reduction in corporation tax during a speech at the conference’s periphery. Truss emphasized the importance of demonstrating a vision for the future to secure electoral success, focusing on the need to look forward rather than dwell on the past.

Meanwhile, former Home Secretary Priti Patel expressed concerns about the party’s recent behaviour in government, stating that the public may be questioning the actions of MPs in Westminster.

Additionally, the completion of the HS2 high-speed rail line to Manchester hangs in the balance, with Sunak declining to confirm whether it will extend to the North West, a decision that has drawn criticism from former Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

Furthermore, Cabinet ministers Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman are advocating for a debate on the possibility of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, with Badenoch suggesting that this option should be considered seriously.

Prime Minister Sunak is scheduled to deliver his primary speech on Wednesday, but in a conference kickoff move, the government has disclosed a £1.1 billion funding initiative aimed at revitalising high streets and addressing issues related to anti-social behaviour.

This substantial funding will be distributed among 55 towns, such as Torquay, Rotherham, and Kilmarnock, with each town receiving £20 million over the course of a decade, BBC reported.

Sunak emphasised that towns have often been overlooked in favour of cities, and it’s time to rectify this disparity in attention and investment, according to BBC.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told BBC that there will be no tax cuts this year – but nothing ruled out for 2024.

“Of course I would love to cut taxes before the next election”, but “to do so now would be inflationary”, Hunt told BBC.

He said he will not pretend that overall taxes haven’t gone up lately.

But he reiterated that the government’s moves to raise tax thresholds and increase the national living wage have helped cut unemployment.

Meanwhile, the national polls suggest Sunak won’t be Britain’s leader after an election that must be called by January 2025, reports Bloomberg.

The opposition Labour Party has enjoyed a double-digit polling lead for more than a year. After a couple of recent polls appeared to show Sunak clawing back ground, YouGov this week gave Labour a 21-point advantage.

While Sunak, 43, appears to have suppressed for now the threat of an internal challenge, many Conservative are working behind the scenes for a leadership run if the election goes badly, according to interviews with more than two dozen party lawmakers, advisers and donors, Bloomberg reported.

There are at least 13 would-be contenders to watch out for, said the people, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.

One MP said the subplot of Conservative conference — told in unsubtle speeches, fringe events and drinks at hotel bars — was the battle for the future of the party. Another told Bloomberg that Sunak was already a lame duck.

Sunak’s backers say his team is focused on making a success of his premiership and not getting distracted by events beyond their control.

Allies of all the possible leadership hopefuls said they were working to support the prime minister and pushing for a Conservative election win.

Some Conservatives think Sunak could still pull off victory or stay on if Labour fail to secure an outright majority, Bloomberg reported.

“Who replaces Rishi in the event of a defeat is going to depend in no small part on just how bad that defeat turns out to be,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, who has researched how the party’s post-election make-up will determine its leader.

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