The prime minister’s official spokeswoman said the pledges were made a few months ago, when the context was “somewhat different”. Deputy ministers must be consulted on the particularities of their services. Sunak ‘absolutely hammered’ immigration at PMQs – live policy updates There was no endpoint for the review, the spokeswoman said. “We’re looking at all of the campaign commitments and looking at whether it’s the right time to push them forward,” he said. “We need to spend some time to make sure what is deliverable and what is possible, as well as working with stakeholders and with the relevant foreign ministers. “Obviously, these are commitments that were made a few months ago now and the context is somewhat different, obviously, financially. “We have to look again.” Mr Sunak has already abandoned his plan to impose a £10 fine on patients who miss doctor’s appointments. Downing Street said the Prime Minister had listened to GPs and NHS leaders “and agreed that now is not the time to take this policy forward”. Read more: Rishi Sunak makes ‘U-turn’ and will now move to COP27 investment zones Liz Truss ‘under consideration’ Rishi Sunak brings back fracking ban as another Truss policy reverses Among critics, the British Medical Association (BMA) said the plans would “make things worse” and threaten the principle of free NHS care at the point of need. This morning, Transport Secretary Mark Harper also cast doubt on the high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds, saying the government is looking at “all options” ahead of expected spending cuts in the Autumn Statement later this month. Mr. Sunak’s key commitments in the leadership contest include:
Reduction in the basic rate of income tax from 20 p.m. at 4 p.m. until the end of the next parliament Repeal or reform all EU legislation by the next election Rwanda’s deportation program to continue, alongside a 10-point plan to tackle migration Block housing in the green belt Rail improvements in the North, including HS2 trains to Leeds Commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
The Prime Minister’s spokeswoman was also asked if Mr Sunak was sticking to his 2019 manifesto pledge not to raise taxes and said that while the Prime Minister was pushing for a low-tax economy, “a lot has happened” since then and “we feel present”. . Acceptance from Downing Street is likely to fuel fresh calls for a general election, which opposition parties have been demanding since Boris Johnson’s government collapsed in July. Mr Sunak took over from Liz Truss for the Tory leadership in the summer but lost out to her in the race to succeed Johnson after Tory party members favored her pro-growth tax cut plan over his fiscally conservative policies. But the former chancellor saw a swift reversal of fortunes when Ms Truss resigned after just 44 days in the job. He won the support of Tory MPs and became leader in a quick second leadership contest that did not go to the wider party. He now faces the task of balancing the books after the fallout from his predecessor’s disastrous mini-budget. The prime minister and his chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, are said to be eyeing tentative tax rises and spending cuts to plug a £40bn black hole in the nation’s coffers.
