Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss trashed each other's economic plans as the blue-on-blue attacks intensified during their first head-to-head TV showdown last night. The debate began in what viewers at home called bizarre fashion - saying a camera zoom made both senior politicians resemble cardboard cut-outs.
Mr Sunak and Ms Truss also gave their views on levelling up - in the face of regional newspapers across the north west, including the Manchester Evening News, joining forces to urge Number 10: "Don't turn your back on the North.
Former chancellor Mr Sunak went on to claimed there was 'nothing Conservative' about Ms Truss's approach and it would give the party 'absolutely no chance' of winning the next election. Foreign Secretary Ms Truss in turn suggested her rival would lead the country into a recession and criticised him for increasing taxes to the “highest rate in 70 years”.
