Voters want focus on spiralling costs
CONSERVATIVE voters want Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to focus on the cost of living and immigration as they bid for the support of the party membership, a poll has found.
The survey carried out by Ipsos found almost two-thirds of people who voted Conservative in 2019 said the two leadership candidates should be talking about the spiralling cost of living, while 53% said they should prioritise immigration and border security.
Although arguments about tax cuts have dominated the leadership contest so far, only 34% of Tory voters said the candidates should focus on the levels of taxation they would set. Economic growth, public services and tackling crime all polled higher.
But the survey of nearly 1,100 British adults, carried out between July 15 and 20, found the wider public had slightly different priorities.
While the cost-of-living crisis was again the top issue, cited by 58% of people, public services, poverty and economic growth were all listed as higher priorities than immigration, which was mentioned by just 29% of people.
Both the general public and Tory voters listed transgender issues as the lowest priority, mentioned by 6% and 7% respectively.
In terms of public approval of the two candidates, there was little to choose between them.
Some 20% of the wider public said they had a favourable opinion of Mr Sunak, the former chancellor, while 17% said they had a favourable opinion of Ms Truss, the Foreign Secretary.
Mr Sunak also had a slightly higher approval rating among 2019 Conservative voters, with 35% saying they had a favourable opinion of him compared to 33% saying the same about Ms Truss.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson could face a by-election if he is found to have lied to Parliament and is handed a suspension for 10 or more sitting days.
The Privileges Committee is examining whether the Prime Minister committed a contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs over the partygate scandal.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed the committee’s findings would fall within the remit of the Recall of MPs Act, following advice from a leading lawyer.
That would mean a suspension of 10 or more sitting days, or 14 calendar days, would trigger a recall petition.
If at least 10% of voters in Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat demand a by-election he would lose his place as an MP, but would be eligible to stand again in the contest.
The MPs intend to call Mr Johnson to give oral evidence in public in the autumn, under oath.
Mr Johnson has also been ordered to hand over a cache of documents to the MPs investigating whether he lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.