Formally announcing his intention to run for the top job, he positioned himself as the natural heir to the Iron Lady’s legacy. He said: “Society is a reflection of its leaders, and under Margaret Thatcher, the Britain I knew was full of boundless optimism and opportunity. “This is lost and needs to change. The country is facing some of the biggest challenges of a lifetime.” Mr Zahawi was the minister responsible for developing Covid vaccines before being promoted to education secretary by Boris Johnson last September. He took over as chancellor on Tuesday evening after the resignation of Rishi Sunak, which marked the start of a revolt against the prime minister. But just 36 hours later he was among the cabinet ministers who publicly urged the prime minister to resign.
“Anti-Wake Up Candidate”
In his leadership field he also pledged, like his opponents, to increase defense spending. “Defense spending must rise in response to the brutality of Putin’s war in Ukraine. I will always put the defense of the nation first,” he said. And he was placed among the contenders for the top job, with cultural issues playing a leading role in the debate. He said: “I will continue my education reforms that improve schools across the country, continue to revolutionize our schools and deliver a great education for every child. “I will also continue to focus on letting kids be kids, protecting them from the hurtful and inappropriate nonsense foisted on them by radical activists.” The chancellor pledged to “steady the ship and stabilize the economy” and then seize the opportunities to be a “free nation” after Brexit.
The nanny state is in his sights
He also hinted at an agenda that would significantly reduce the size of the state and its involvement in people’s daily lives. “We, as Conservatives, must trust British people to do what is best for themselves,” he said, pledging to build “a nation where your only limit is yourself – not the state or society ».
