In a major boost for the foreign secretary’s campaign, Tugendhat wrote in The Times that her plans for huge tax cuts were “based on true conservative principles”. The chairman of the foreign affairs select committee also criticized Rishi Sunak’s budget policy, saying it was not right to increase the tax burden when people are entering winter with “terror”. His support is significant as he is popular among Conservative party members and a senior figure in the One Nation group of centrist Tory MPs. It is another blow to Sunak after the Defense Secretary, Ben Wallace, also came out in support of Truss. Earlier, Sunak admitted a video showing him as a youngster saying he had no working-class friends was “stupid”, as he defended the suspension of tax cuts and claimed Truss’ plans would trigger a “sugar rush” of inflation . The Tory leadership candidate, who is trailing in the race to replace Boris Johnson, also insisted during an interview with Andrew Neil that he would ensure some asylum seekers were removed to Rwanda, even if only several hundreds, as would thousands more. was prevented. Sunak faced a harsh grilling from the Channel 4 presenter in the interview on Friday night which his opponent avoided. Rishi Sunak says he was ‘silly’ when he said he had no working-class friends – video Asked by Neil if “there wasn’t something wrong with the son of successful middle-class immigrants who were prepared to turn away asylum seekers with a valid claim,” he replied defiantly: “No.” Although Sunak admitted that only a few hundred migrants might be turned away under the plan, which will cost millions, he said many thousands would be prevented from trying to cross the Channel to seek asylum in the UK. Among the questions he was asked was whether he was embarrassed by a clip that aired on the BBC when Sunak was in his 20s. It showed the current Tory leadership candidate being interviewed as part of a classroom programme. Rishi Sunak criticized after video shows him ‘having no working class friends’ – video “I’ve got aristocratic friends, I’ve got upper-class friends, I’ve got working-class friends — well, not working class,” Sunak said in the 2001 clip. The footage was locked in the race to replace Johnson when it resurfaced several weeks ago, with rivals scoffing and suggesting the wealthy Tory MP could not relate to those struggling during the cost-of-living crisis. Sunak spoke in the video when pressed on whether he was in touch with Neil. “We all say stupid things when we’re students,” he admitted. “I grew up working in my mom’s pharmacy and you don’t get to do that unless you interact with a lot of people. I spent my time making sure we served our community. “My parents worked incredibly hard to give me opportunities and that’s ultimately why I want to be prime minister because this country has allowed my family to give me a better opportunity and future.” Mr Sunak, who several Tory MP polls found trailing Mr Truss in the leadership contest, has also come under fire for his refusal to cut taxes and for an alleged “turn-around” to cut VAT on energy bills. Sunak had argued against the controversial tax cut in February when he was chancellor, telling parliament that the policy would “disproportionately benefit the wealthiest households”. On Friday, he admitted it was a blunt instrument, but said it was one of the few levers politicians could pull quickly. He said the apparent volte-face was “absolutely” not a case of bad judgment in the first place and claimed the Truss tax cuts – £30 billion to be financed by borrowing – would add “fuel to the fire” of already rising inflation. Sunak said the move would be a “sugar rush” that would also push up interest rates and exacerbate the financial hardships many will face this winter. Despite being invited to a similar grilling by Neil, Truss followed Johnson’s lead at the last general election and declined to do so. At the end of Friday’s programme, Neil said: ‘He declined our invitation. Her choice of course. This invitation remains open.”
