Summary
Here are the key developments from the day:
Rishi Sunak has accused his leadership rival Liz Truss of setting up a “moral failure” if she does not support the most vulnerable through the cost-of-living crisis. At the Tory hustings in Belfast, the former chancellor criticised Truss tax cut plan and said: “If we don’t directly help those vulnerable groups, those on the lowest incomes, those pensioners, then it will be a moral failure of the Conservative government and I don’t think the British people will forgive us for that.”
The shadow home secretary has said comments from Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss, that British workers need “more graft”, are a “total disgrace”. Yvette Cooper told Sky News: “I think it reveals what she really thinks … This insult just shows, I think, that [Truss] does not understand working people right across the country. It’s deeply wrong of her to say this.”
UK inflation has risen above 10% for the first time in 40 years, driven by soaring prices for food and fuel as households come under mounting pressure from the cost of living crisis. The Office for National Statistics said the consumer prices index rose by 10.1% in the year to July, up from a reading of 9.4% in June and entering double figures at an earlier stage than anticipated. The figure was last higher in February 1982.
Unions are warning that the cost-of-living crisis has become a “living nightmare” for workers as the soaring rate of inflation is set to fuel more strikes. The Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said inflation had reached “new perilous levels” for workers and their families.
The veteran retailer Stuart Rose has urged the government to do more to shield the poorest from double-digit inflation, describing the lack of action as “horrifying”, with a prime minister “on shore leave” leaving a situation where “nobody is in charge”. Responding to July’s 10.1% headline rate, the Conservative peer and Asda chair said: “We have been very, very slow in recognising this train coming down the tunnel and it’s run quite a lot of people over and we now have to deal with the aftermath of that.”
Liz Truss has refused to recognise the importance of animal welfare in post-Brexit trade deals, the environment secretary has said. George Eustice was speaking at the Conservative Environment Network Tory leadership hustings on behalf of Rishi Sunak, and said he faced “challenges” in trying to get Truss to enshrine animal welfare in trade deals.
London’s mayor has warned of a rise in shootings and stabbings amid concerns that the increasing cost of living could lead to more violence and make it easier for gangs to lure vulnerable young people. Sadiq Khan said millions of pounds more were being put into schemes to turn people away from violence. The Labour mayor has been criticised by some for his record on crime.
Labour lost more than 91,000 members last year and recorded a £4.8m deficit, caused by staff redundancies, a drop in membership subscriptions and ongoing legal battles with former staff members. But the party also raised significantly more than the Conservatives over the course of last year, bringing in more £45m compared with about £31m by the Tories.
Politicians from across the divide have expressed support for senior Conservative MP William Wragg after he said he would be taking a break to deal with depression and anxiety. He said both conditions are currently “severe” but he looks forward to “returning refreshed, better able to represent my constituents, loving life and myself a little bit more”.
Nicola Sturgeon has condemned the abuse of journalists by pro-independence supporters outside Tuesday’s Tory leadership hustings in Perth as “disgraceful”, as other Scottish Nationalist politicians called for any members involved to be thrown out of the party immediately. But Scottish Tories accused the first minister of being “selective” in who she supported, amid reports of demonstrators spitting and screaming at older party members as they walked into Tuesday evening’s event.
That’s it for today. We’ll be closing this blog shortly. Thanks so much for joining me. I’ll be back again tomorrow morning.
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