Liz Truss has admitted that the government has been “slow to deliver” on Boris Johnson’s flagship policy of levelling up.
Speaking during the first head-head debate between the two contenders to become the next prime minister, the foreign secretary acknowledged that the policy had not been translated into practical benefits.
Her rival, former chancellor Rishi Sunak, said the regeneration of town centres remained a priority for him and that he was “unequivocally” committed to addressing regional inequalities. He said he wanted to make town centres look “exciting and clean”.
Truss said “urgent action” was needed immediately to deliver tax cuts and said that schools needed to be improved in deprived parts of the country – a reference to her campaign promise to end the ban on new grammar schools.
Postal ballots are set to arrive on Tory members’ doorsteps by 5 August, while another debate, hosted by TalkTV and the Sun, will be aired later today.
