Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt join Conservative Party leadership race
Two former health secretaries – Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt – have joined the race to replace Boris Johnson.
Both declared their plans in the Sunday Telegraph – with Mr Hunt emphasising he was the “only major candidate” who did not serve in Mr Johnson’s government.
Tax has emerged as a central issue in the race – with contenders setting out whether they favour lower rates.
Mr Javid and Mr Hunt called for tax cuts, with Mr Javid pledging to scrap an increase in National Insurance.
Joining them in the race are Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps – both of whom promised to lower taxes.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, who has been criticised for increasing taxes, and Attorney General Suella Braverman, who called for a low-tax state, have also launched campaigns.
Allies of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have said she will also throw her hat in the ring to replace the prime minister with a pledge to reverse Mr Sunak’s health tax levy, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat are also in the running.
But earlier, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who was widely tipped to have the most support among party members, said he would not run for leader.
Attempting to set himself apart from his fellow contenders, Mr Hunt championed the fact he remained on the backbench during Mr Johnson’s administration, saying this meant he had not “been defending the indefensible”.
Mr Hunt, 55, told the Sunday Telegraph he was the “only major candidate” who had not worked in the outgoing prime minister’s government and had “called out what was going wrong long before any of the other major contenders”.
The runner-up to Mr Johnson in the 2019 ballot revealed plans to scrap business rates for the most deprived parts of the country for five years and slash corporation tax to 15%, from its current level of 19%.
Despite backing remain during the 2016 EU referendum, Mr Hunt said he would be tempted to vote to leave if he could decide again.
Mr Hunt also criticised Mr Johnson’s levelling-up agenda for being “far too New Labour”. (BBC)
