Truss or Sunak – who would you rather be PM?
Six other candidates were knocked out of the race following Westminster votes and the next leader will be revealed after Conservative members have their vote.
Earlier this month, a survey from The Morning Advertiser (MA) outlined 12 possible candidates where Sunak came out top however, the ‘none of the above’ option was the most popular.
While 18% of the 115 MA readers chose Sunak and 6% preferred Truss, about a third (33%) opted for of none of the contenders.
Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation more than a fortnight ago (Thursday 7 July) after more than 50 MPs resigned.
Following this, trade body UKHospitality boss Kate Nicholls called for stability from the Government for the sector.
Priority focus
She tweeted: “We need clear, consistent, strategic plans to restore confidence, underpin investment and accelerate economic growth.
“Tackling the cost of doing business – key part of tackling cost of living – to and remove barriers to delivering it needs prioritising.”
However, licensees expressed a desperation for stability amid soaring operating costs, with particular focus on a reduction in VAT for the sector, no matter who is to take up position at 10 Downing Street.
Bath Pub Company managing director Joe Cussens said: “Whoever is in numbers 10 and 11, we desperately need stability and a plan to support businesses.
“[A] VAT cut would be top of my wish list, without it there’s going to be a tsunami of business failures."
Government urged
He added: “They also need to do something about the energy market, it’s ceased to function as a competitive market. Operators are being forced to agree to contracts with a gun to their head.
“Prices are up 100% to 150% and the minimum term is two years when most commentators believe prices will be lower next year.
“[They] need to fix the problem at the top before we can have any hope of meaningful solutions to the economy’s woes.”
Elsewhere in Government-related news, MP for Loughborough Jane Hunt was confirmed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, replacing Paul Scully.
