Truss ‘carries quite a lot of blame' for Tory record, Badenoch claims
Speaking on a farm near Saffron Walden in her constituency, Mrs Badenoch also described herself as an 'Essex girl', and added that people from the county 'are grafters; they work hard'.
The Leader of the Opposition faced questions about Ms Truss's claim that under the Conservatives, 'the economy was wrecked with profligate Covid spending by (Rishi) Sunak' and that 'the huge increase in immigration has been a disaster'.
Mrs Badenoch told ITV Anglia: 'I know that, as a former prime minister and a former foreign secretary, (Ms Truss) carries quite a lot of that blame.
'The party's now under new leadership.
'I wasn't in charge during those 14 years; she was.
'That's a criticism she's probably levelling at herself.'
The Tory leader also said she was 'telling the truth' about her party's record.
'I'm telling the truth that immigration was too high – that's why we have much tougher policies to fix immigration,' she continued.
'I am telling the truth that taxes were too high, that we were putting a lot of regulation on businesses, and what we're seeing is Labour making every single thing worse.
'They're doing that because they haven't learned many of the lessons that we learned. They haven't learned from our mistakes. They're making worse mistakes.'
The Labour Government's mistakes include making 'no cut in spending at all – the books were not balanced', Mrs Badenoch claimed.
'We're spending more on welfare than we are on defence – that cannot continue,' she said.
Mrs Badenoch had previously told The Telegraph that 'for all their mocking of Liz Truss, Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have not learnt the lessons of the mini-budget and are making even bigger mistakes'.
Ms Truss, who spent 49 days in Number 10, hit back when she said that 'instead of serious thinking', Mrs Badenoch was 'repeating spurious narratives'.
She continued: 'I suspect she is doing this to divert from the real failures of 14 years of Conservative government in which her supporters are particularly implicated.
'It was a fatal mistake not to repeal Labour legislation like the Human Rights Act because the modernisers wanted to be the 'heirs to Blair'.
'Huge damage was done to our liberties through draconian lockdowns and enforcement championed by Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings.
'The economy was wrecked with profligate Covid spending by Sunak. The huge increase in immigration has been a disaster.'
Mrs Badenoch also took questions about her identity, after she told the Rosebud podcast: 'I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s.
'I don't identify with it any more, most of my life has been in the UK and I've just never felt the need to.'
The North West Essex MP told ITV Anglia: 'I am definitely an Essex girl, that is a fact.'
A London Assembly member before she took her Commons seat in 2017, Mrs Badenoch said: 'I represent an Essex constituency, these are my people.
'I was a Londoner, but Essex people asked me to be their MP, and I want to make sure that I do them proud. And I love this part of the world.
'It's fantastic being here. It's a rural community, and I've been talking to the farmers here. I talked about how my grandfather was a farmer, it's very hard work.
'The people of Essex and East Anglia – they are grafters.
'They work hard, and I want to make sure that we do right by them.'
Mrs Badenoch spent Tuesday morning at a farm in Little Walden, where she tried her hand at harvesting wheat using a Claas Lexion combine harvester.
She told farmers: 'A lot of farming just feels like constant interference.
'Everything is interfered from the minute you wake up.'
Examples of interference included 'chemicals and insecticide, people you're hiring, how much you've got to pay them', plus changes to 'employers' NI (national insurance), then somebody wants to put pylons on, there's compulsory purchase, it's impacting the cost of the land, if you want to add a new farm building, there's planning applications', she said.
'It's just endless constant Government saying, 'You can't do this, you can't do that, you can't move forwards'.
'And the burden in my view has now crossed the threshold.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
More countries added to UK's ‘deport first' scheme for foreign criminals
Foreign criminals from 15 more countries face deportation before they have a chance to appeal in an expansion of the UK government's 'deport first, appeal later' scheme. Ministers are extending the scheme, which applies in England and Wales and was restarted in 2023, to cover 23 countries including India, Bulgaria, Australia and Canada. The policy, which was introduced by the Conservatives in 2014, removes the right of foreign criminals to appeal against their conviction in the UK unless they show they are at risk of harm if they are deported to their country of origin. It is already operational in eight countries including Tanzania, Finland, Estonia and Belize. Other countries brought under the scheme by Labour ministers include Angola, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Uganda and Zambia. The move is part of the Labour government's efforts to step up the deportations of foreign criminals to deal with overcrowded prisons and public concerns about crime. Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, announced proposals on Sunday to allow foreign criminals given fixed-term sentences to be deported immediately after sentencing and barred from re-entering the UK. Those serving life sentences, such as terrorists and murderers, are exempt and will serve their full prison sentence in the UK before being considered for deportation. The policy has come under fire from two former Conservative justice secretaries who say it risks making the UK a soft touch for foreign criminals, because offenders would not be serving sentences at home. The former justice secretary Alex Chalk told the Guardian: 'I have real misgivings about this, and it could make people in Britain a magnet for crime from foreign national offenders.' He told Times Radio that 'rapists, people who commit child cruelty, aggravated burglars, knife crimers, domestic abusers' who were deported to their home countries 'would not have to spend a day in custody'. 'If you have been the victim of an appalling rape that has shattered your life, and you pluck up the courage to go to court, the jury convict this guy [and] within two weeks he's in Tirana, drinking a cocktail paid by the British taxpayer, and on TikTok laughing at his victim,' Chalk said. 'The real danger is you're giving a green light to foreign national offenders. You come to Britain, you're not going to get punished. You're thinking: the worst that happens to me is I'm released immediately and put on a plane.' He added: 'You've got to have a measure of justice so if you come to our country and commit a crime, you expect punishment. I would urge parliament to scrutinise this extremely carefully'. Robert Buckland, another former justice secretary, said Chalk was right to express concerns. 'Many victims of these crimes want justice to be served here first before deportation. Has the government taken the views of victims into consideration in all of this?' The Ministry of Justice confirmed to the Guardian that foreign offenders deported under the expansion of the 'deport first, appeal later' scheme would not necessarily face prison in their home country. After a legal challenge, the supreme court ruled in 2007 that the 'deport first, appeal later' system was unlawful because it infringed on people's right to give live evidence to their appeal. The government dealt with the court's concerns by setting up agreements with several countries for foreign criminals to give live evidence to their appeal hearings using a video link. The scheme was restarted in 2023. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said that 'for far too long, foreign criminals have been exploiting our immigration system, remaining in the UK for months or even years while their appeals drag on. That has to end. 'Those who commit crimes in our country cannot be allowed to manipulate the system, which is why we are restoring control and sending a clear message that our laws must be respected and will be enforced.' David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said ministers were in talks with several countries about extending the scheme. Foreign offenders make up about 12% of the prison population in England and Wales, with each prison place costing an average of £54,000 each year, according to the government. Of the new countries covered by the scheme, only Indians are in the top nationalities in the prison population. Officials said that in the year since Labour came to power in July 2024, 5,179 foreign nationals who had been convicted of crimes had been deported, a 14% increase on the year before.
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Retail sales boost of 2.5% ‘barely touching the sides' of costs, sector warns
The uptick in the UK's total retail sales was against growth of 0.5% last July and the 12-month average growth of 1.9%, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG data. Food sales increased by 3.9% on last July due to warm weather and a packed sporting schedule, although rising food inflation – now at 4%, according to latest BRC figures – meant increased spending was more a result of higher prices than improved demand. Non-food sales increased by 1.4% against a decline of 1.8% last July, with figures showing fashion sold well early in the month but deteriorated as weather worsened, while homeware and indoor furniture sales grew steadily, recovering from the previous year's decline. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: 'With sales growth at these levels, it is barely touching the sides of covering the £7 billion new costs imposed on retailers at the last Budget. 'If the upcoming Autumn Budget sees more taxes levied on retailers' shoulders, many will be forced to make difficult choices about the future of shops and jobs, and ongoing pressure would push prices higher. 'Ultimately, this means more families struggling, particularly those on lower incomes, reduced consumer spending and a drag on economic growth.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure markets at KPMG, said: 'The UK's fifth warmest July on Met Office record brought a boost to home appliance and food and drink sales. But rising inflation was also a driver of the latter and monthly non-food sales are only growing at around 1% on average at present. 'With employment costs having risen and inflation both a business and consumer side pressure, it remains a challenging trading environment for many retailers.' Separate figures from Barclays show consumer card spending grew 1.4% year-on-year in July – up from a decline of 0.1% in June – with discretionary spending up 2.4% as changeable weather led shoppers to both sunny and rainy day activities and items. Barclays also found clothing performing strongly, up 4.2%, while growth in online retail spending excluding groceries reached 4.9%, up from 2.4% in June, as shoppers made the most of discounted items and sales events including Prime Day. Pharmacy, health and beauty performed strongly, up 9.8%, while continuing to benefit from the enduring post-Covid 'lipstick effect' – where shoppers turn to small and affordable luxuries to boost their mood, Barclays said. However, confidence in the strength of the UK economy dipped once again in July, falling three points month-on-month to 22%, the lowest level seen since January's 21%. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: 'The summer sales, changeable weather and shoppers seeking the 'feel-good factor' led to a strong July for retailers, particularly among beauty, clothing and furniture stores. 'While confidence in the UK economy remains subdued, prudent money management, supported by the growing popularity of AI tools to help with budgeting, is contributing to a continued resilience in personal and household finances.'
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Retail sales boost of 2.5% ‘barely touching the sides' of costs, sector warns
The uptick in the UK's total retail sales was against growth of 0.5% last July and the 12-month average growth of 1.9%, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG data. Food sales increased by 3.9% on last July due to warm weather and a packed sporting schedule, although rising food inflation – now at 4%, according to latest BRC figures – meant increased spending was more a result of higher prices than improved demand. Non-food sales increased by 1.4% against a decline of 1.8% last July, with figures showing fashion sold well early in the month but deteriorated as weather worsened, while homeware and indoor furniture sales grew steadily, recovering from the previous year's decline. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: 'With sales growth at these levels, it is barely touching the sides of covering the £7 billion new costs imposed on retailers at the last Budget. 'If the upcoming Autumn Budget sees more taxes levied on retailers' shoulders, many will be forced to make difficult choices about the future of shops and jobs, and ongoing pressure would push prices higher. 'Ultimately, this means more families struggling, particularly those on lower incomes, reduced consumer spending and a drag on economic growth.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure markets at KPMG, said: 'The UK's fifth warmest July on Met Office record brought a boost to home appliance and food and drink sales. But rising inflation was also a driver of the latter and monthly non-food sales are only growing at around 1% on average at present. 'With employment costs having risen and inflation both a business and consumer side pressure, it remains a challenging trading environment for many retailers.' Separate figures from Barclays show consumer card spending grew 1.4% year-on-year in July – up from a decline of 0.1% in June – with discretionary spending up 2.4% as changeable weather led shoppers to both sunny and rainy day activities and items. Barclays also found clothing performing strongly, up 4.2%, while growth in online retail spending excluding groceries reached 4.9%, up from 2.4% in June, as shoppers made the most of discounted items and sales events including Prime Day. Pharmacy, health and beauty performed strongly, up 9.8%, while continuing to benefit from the enduring post-Covid 'lipstick effect' – where shoppers turn to small and affordable luxuries to boost their mood, Barclays said. However, confidence in the strength of the UK economy dipped once again in July, falling three points month-on-month to 22%, the lowest level seen since January's 21%. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: 'The summer sales, changeable weather and shoppers seeking the 'feel-good factor' led to a strong July for retailers, particularly among beauty, clothing and furniture stores. 'While confidence in the UK economy remains subdued, prudent money management, supported by the growing popularity of AI tools to help with budgeting, is contributing to a continued resilience in personal and household finances.'
