After Boris Johnson’s resignation from the highest post in the British government, moves began for the election of his successor.
In the race, there are 11 candidates, but there are three main names nominated by the conservative party: Rishi Sunak, former finance minister, Liz Truss, deputy who led the foreign affairs portfolio, and Penny Mordaunt, secretary of state for International Trade.
Now, the positioning of each candidate undergoes an analysis. It is necessary to know the previous career of each candidate and what each one understands as a priority in matters considered critical for governance.
Follow below what each of the favorites believes about the main themes.
Brexit
Brexit emerges as a nebulous issue for candidates.Truss first took a stand in favor of returning to the EU and then changed her mind. Sunak is avowedly in favor of Brexit and voted that way in 2016.
Mordaunt, on the other hand, has a nebulous position, having only declared that he sees Brexit as an opportunity to enhance relations through free trade.
The fact is that, after the legitimate election and the adverse reaction in the next moment, this is not an issue that has a unanimous solution in the short term.
Immigration
The immigration issue in the UK has been latent lately after the creation of Rwanda’s asylum plan. This plan stipulates that people who apply for asylum in the UK will be sent to foster care in Rwanda, Africa.
In the last year, the number of asylum requests grew by more than 200%. Most arrive by boat through the English Channel, and come from some Middle Eastern countries.
The candidates did not comment directly on the issue, but in general they were in favor of immigration, but also of the continuity of the Rwanda plan, which, to some extent, exempts the United Kingdom and British society from the responsibility of sheltering refugees.
Taxes
All candidates are in favor of tax cuts in the UK. The highlights are for fuel and social security. However, caution is needed, as these seem to be measures designed to please the electorate and promote a quick election.
The highlight goes to Sunak who, despite promising to reduce the tax burden, it was during his term as finance minister that England had the highest tax burden since the 1950s.
This is a recurring agenda because the United Kingdom today has the highest tax burden in the country since 1940.
The specter of inflation
Although the speeches are very promising for the UK, the sudden change of prime minister brings back the specter of inflation to the country. In fact, double-digit inflation is already a reality. The problem is that, in the case of the United Kingdom, inflation is persistent and has less prospects for reduction than in similar economies.
The country’s debt has also proved unsustainable. The amount is currently three times the historically high level of the last 50 years.
Boris Johnson’s administration was marked by high spending and little or no policy of positioning in relation to this issue. The large debt and the permanent high rate of inflation demand that the new government of Great Britain work immediately to recover the reins of the economic situation of the country.
Despite the evidence of this situation, the promises of fiscal policies to be employed are not very favorable. Candidates are betting on borrowing-financed tax cuts to contain rising population costs. However, this is a dangerous measure, as the reduction is expected to be small in relation to the future losses that would be incurred with this policy.
Furthermore, in the long run, inflation would rise again. In this way, economists point out that the promised strategies are only a palliative, which, in addition to increasing inflation, would result in the benefit of only the richest families.