The former chancellor, who attended one of the UK’s most expensive state schools, used his opening speech at the Leeds debate to say he would create “a Britain where every child’s birthright is a world-class education”. . Asked by host Nick Ferrari for a yes/no answer to the question of whether he would bring back middle schools, he said “yes.” “I believe in educational excellence, I believe education is the most powerful way we can change people’s lives. But I also think we can do a lot with the school system as we have it,” he added, highlighting the reforms carried out by Michael Gove when he was education secretary. Middle schools have been phased out in most parts of the country since the 1960s in favor of the comprehensive system, amid concerns that they entrenched inequality. Some Tory MPs want a long time after they return, despite evidence that they tend to disproportionately benefit the children of wealthier families. When Truss was challenged by a member of the public about the impact of Covid on the school system, she said, “we shouldn’t have closed our schools and I think it has done a lot of damage to our children.” To address the legacy of the pandemic, he suggested more mental health support for children and an emphasis on school standards. Responding to an audience member, Truss also suggested she would mandate schools to provide single-sex toilets. “I’ve been very clear that free-sex spaces need to be protected, especially for young people, as well as for vulnerable people … as prime minister I will direct that to happen, because it’s difficult to be a teenager, to be a young girl, and you should you can have the privacy you need in your own toilet.” When Truss was challenged by a member of the public about the impact of Covid on the school system, she said, “we shouldn’t have closed our schools”. Photo: Henry Nicholls/Reuters Asked about transgender children, she said, “I don’t believe that under-18s should be able to make irreversible decisions about their bodies that they may later regret,” but added, “schools need to be sensitive: they can to provide additional facilities. , but it should not be at the expense of protecting young girls.” The Hustings were the first of a dozen such events organized by Conservative HQ, which will take place during the remaining six weeks of the contest. Unlike previous televised debates, which featured heated arguments between the pair, the event saw Sunak and Truss initially appear separately, with each given the opportunity to make a short speech and answer members’ questions. Truss, who lived in Leeds for much of her childhood, emphasized her connections to the city, pointing out that her parents still live there and jokingly apologized to her former teachers after criticizing the school she attended. “What I think I took from Yorkshire is grit, honesty and determination: and that, my friends, is what we need now in Downing Street,” he told the audience of Tory MPs. Sunak pointed to what he said were his family’s values: “patriotism, service, hard work, ambition.” “Family means everything to me – the bonds of sacrifice and commitment that family brings are far greater than anything any government could duplicate and we must never forget that,” he said. During the question and answer session, the candidates were asked to name the best prime minister the UK has had and both chose Margaret Thatcher. Truss said, “what I felt in the 1980s was a growing sense of pride in our country and a growing sense of optimism about our future.” When Sunak was asked what Thatcher would have done with his policy of raising taxes, he insisted: “I think she would have answered as I did, catching inflation first. That was her mantra, was to do it first.” An awkward moment came when Mr Sunak was challenged by a party member, Matthew from West Yorkshire, over his role in Boris Johnson’s exit. “A lot of people continue to support Boris Johnson, who has consistently made it through treacherous waters, and a lot of people unfortunately see that you’ve backstabbed him,” he said. Sunak responded by emphasizing the claim made in his resignation letter that he had resigned due to political differences. “I resigned because the prime minister and the chancellor cannot be in a different position when it comes to economic policy.” The former chancellor is widely seen as the underdog, with several polls of Conservative members suggesting Truss has a convincing lead.
