Kemi Badenoch says she is not promising big tax cuts, but is looking at fuel taxes and believes there is room to reduce duties there. He also says he plans to push for universal credit and superannuation credit growth. Next up is Tom Tugendhat, who says he plans to lower energy costs by working with our neighbors to lower prices. He points out that some European countries are heavily dependent on Russian energy, which has driven up costs. He adds that an energy resilience plan is needed before Christmas. Penny Mordaunt says she is not committed to reducing tax levels, but plans limited support measures such as reducing VAT paid at the pump. In terms of action, he says he will look at direct debit and the structure in which bills are drawn up. Liz Truss says we need to start putting money back into people’s pockets and reverse the rise in national insurance, branding it a “mistake”. He says he wants to introduce a temporary moratorium on the green levy and avoid corporation tax rises. He says the public sector needs to grow more slowly than the private sector and that regulatory reform is needed. Rishi Sunak says inflation is the most pressing issue. He says he will deliver tax cuts responsibly once the government gets inflation under control, comparing his approach to Margaret Thatcher. On energy, he says the government needs to improve communication about the support the public receives. He adds that his government will focus on employment by ensuring people have the skills they need for better paying jobs.
