‘The gloves are off’: What the newspapers are saying about the TV Conservative leadership debate | UK News
Media coverage of the increasingly personal battle between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss for the Tory leadership reveals a fascinating picture of party divisions.
The tone of the front pages of the headlines most loyal to Boris Johnson is strongly in favor of the Foreign Secretary, with the Chancellor struggling to shed his image as the man who stabbed the outgoing Prime Minister.
The Telegraph goes hard with its lead article on Truss’ unfavorable comparison between Sunak and former Labor Prime Minister Gordon Brown. “Prime Minister Sunak would be a new Gordon Brown, says Truss,” and reports her claim that her rival’s refusal to cut taxes immediately would usher in a recession.
'PM Sunak would be a new Gordon Brown, claims Truss'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/csSxZZQHhi— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 25, 2022n","url":"https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1551693535350505473","id":"1551693535350505473","hasMedia":false,"role":"inline","isThirdPartyTracking":false,"source":"Twitter","elementId":"2b6bea82-8d1d-4e14-be41-0b4c59e0c4d8"}}'>
The Express also focuses on the tax issue, which is one of the few signs of clear blue water between the candidates with Truss positioning himself as the choice not to tax but spend anyway to Sunak’s more restrained view that the country can probably wouldn’t allow another tax giveaway. “The Great Divide…tax cuts now or later,” his splash reads in a clear snap that Truss has the crusader vote.
Also in tomorrow's paper: Fury as judge rules on tragic Archie despite dad's collapse https://t.co/RXTHJm0DM6 pic.twitter.com/F9vqfMUfN2— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) July 25, 2022n","url":"https://twitter.com/Daily_Express/status/1551687598707544071","id":"1551687598707544071","hasMedia":false,"role":"inline","isThirdPartyTracking":false,"source":"Twitter","elementId":"6e2a3e4e-0f65-4140-8ee9-dcfbd1956604"}}'>
The Mail sees the spirit of Margaret Thatcher in Truss and proclaims in its headline: ‘Truss promises to rein in militant unions’, adding that ‘Liz unveils plan to stop strikes crippling Britain’.
The Time’ The main story says ‘bitter conservative rivals get personal’, reporting that both candidates ignored calls from party bigwigs to end ‘blue on blue’ hostilities in the televised debate.
‘Conservative leaders clash over tax and inflation,’ headlines Guardian and highlights Sunak’s attack on Truss’ plans to borrow and spend rather than raise taxes.
Subway also gives more slack to Sunak’s lines of attack, which included the jibe that Truss’ economic plans would push the country into recession. “You will lose us in the next election,” says Metro.
🔴 Sunak and Truss scrap in TV debate#Tomorrowspapertoday pic.twitter.com/l70fFsGtVn— Metro (@MetroUK) July 25, 2022n","url":"https://twitter.com/MetroUK/status/1551677520105410561","id":"1551677520105410561","hasMedia":false,"role":"inline","isThirdPartyTracking":false,"source":"Twitter","elementId":"50d7b46b-0786-483e-a988-93b0ab6ec990"}}'>
The I says “The gloves are off: the curators’ contest goes wrong”.
Latest by @HugoGye: https://t.co/qeIy5U37tr pic.twitter.com/z6EBmWctHP— i newspaper (@theipaper) July 25, 2022n","url":"https://twitter.com/theipaper/status/1551679571069739011","id":"1551679571069739011","hasMedia":false,"role":"inline","isThirdPartyTracking":false,"source":"Twitter","elementId":"ecafd297-5911-4d96-8280-ebfdb3b143b6"}}'>
The FinancialTimes went to print a little too early to capture the action on its front page and instead leads to “Fears of a gas crisis in Europe grow as Russia cuts Nord Stream 1 flows”. It also contains a cautionary tale for both candidates as they chart Britain’s post-Brexit place in the global economy. “Local red tape doubles Brexit bill for chemical companies to £2bn”.
The Sun leads on a report that Cristiano Ronaldo is returning to Manchester for talks aimed at securing an exit from Old Trafford – ‘Ron his way’ – while the Mirror lead is a criminal investigation: “Children sold deadly knives”.