Hunt: Tories mustn’t be all about money
JEREMY Hunt made a clear pitch to moderate Tories last night, declaring the party must have a ‘social mission’ and not just be about ‘money, money, money’.
Setting out his political vision, the Foreign Secretary issued a rallying cry for compassionate Conservatism to win over young voters and defeat Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Hunt is seen as one of the frontrunners for the Tory leadership, along with Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and Sajid Javid.
However, his adversaries accuse Mr Hunt of being the ‘Continuity May’ candidate. Yesterday one MP described his pitch as ‘vanilla Conservatism’.
One of Mr Hunt’s rivals for the moderate vote, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, sparked speculation that she could launch a leadership bid herself if Theresa May leaves No 10 in the coming weeks. Sources said she was mulling whether to run.
Last night she posted online a video of her speaking in the Commons in which she pledged to combat poverty and called for ‘compassionate government’.
Mr Hunt’s interview with the London Evening Standard was conducted around the time that Mrs May announced to MPs that she would stand down if the Brexit deal goes through.
He did not rule out running, but said: ‘Brexit is far more important than the ambitions of the many people who might like to succeed Theresa May.’
He claimed One Nation Tories had not had a chance to implement their ideas because of
‘Failed to win the battle of ideas’ ‘We match their aspirations’
the financial crisis and Brexit. ‘ Everything [ David Cameron] wanted to do was eclipsed by the need for huge public spending cuts and austerity after the financial recession,’ he said.
‘Theresa May arrived as a One Nation Conservative and had to deal with Brexit. So we have really never had a chance to show the British people what One Nation Conservatism can be.’
He admitted he was a ‘ control freak’, but said all politicians had to be one. And he said the best way to unite the country was ‘moving on’ from Brexit.
‘People have got to see we’re not the money, money, money party. We have consistently failed in my political lifetime to win the battle of ideas.’
In her speech, Miss Rudd set out her ‘ ideals’ for what a Conservative government should look like, including ‘ support for those on the lowest incomes, because I know that no one in Britain should have their future determined by the circumstances they are born into’. She said: ‘Every single boy and girl born in this country should be able to reach their maximum potential, escape any societal constraints, dream big and reach the highest heights.
‘Every single man and woman should be able to go into the workplace knowing that a better future awaits them, that endless possibilities and ambitions are within their grasp. Every town and city in this country needs to know that this government is on their side that we match their aspirations and that by working together we will make every community a better one to live in.’
‘This is what it means to be a compassionate government, one that supports work, lets dreams become reality and helps those in need.’