• Taxes

This is currently the most divisive subject during the campaign.

In this respect Rishi Sunak, Minister of Finance for more than two years before resigning at the beginning of the month, is seen as the candidate for continuity.

He intends to maintain recent tax increases to balance the books after record spending and borrowing during the pandemic.

He made the fight against inflation, at a level not seen in 40 years, his priority and crushed the "fairy tales" of his competitors to reduce taxation, believing that such cuts would only accentuate the problem.

He promises to lower taxes once inflation is reduced.

Liz Truss has promised to reduce the tax burden "from day one". 

She intends to reconsider a recent increase in social contributions, while wanting to maintain corporate tax at a "competitive" level.

  •  Cost of life

At the head of the Ministry of Finance, Rishi Sunak has already implemented a package of support measures for households in the face of the most severe cost of living crisis in decades.

The £15million package presented in May is aimed at low-income families, with three-quarters of the funds going to welfare recipients.

Its competitors, however, have criticized these measures as insufficient.

Liz Truss has promised to use economic growth fueled by tax cuts as the main lever in the face of the crisis.

  •  Brexit

Liz Truss, who was in favor of staying in the European Union during the 2016 referendum before becoming a zealous defender of leaving the EU, has been leading negotiations with Brussels on the sticking points since December.

She is one of the architects of the Boris Johnson government's controversial bill to override provisions specific to the province of Northern Ireland, in breach of international law according to the Europeans.

Rishi Sunak, who backed Brexit in 2016, voiced his support for the controversial bill.

As Chancellor, he promoted "free ports" as a way to leverage Brexit.

  • Immigration

Under pressure from the proliferation of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats, the Conservative government intends to deport asylum seekers who have arrived illegally on British soil to Rwanda.

The highly controversial project, whose implementation has been suspended by the European Court of Human Rights, is supported by both of the finalists.

Liz Truss called it "completely moral". 

  •  Defense

Rishi Sunak has refused to set "arbitrary targets" on military spending in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But he sees the objectives of NATO member countries to spend 2% of GDP on Defense, "as a floor and not a ceiling".

He argues for an increase in the defense budget to 2.5% of GDP.

For her part, Liz Truss has pledged to reach 3% by 2030.

  • Climate

Rishi Sunak has pledged to maintain the government's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

It would maintain "green levies" on energy bills to encourage the development of renewable energies.

Liz Truss has promised to remove these levies, but has pledged to maintain the 2050 target.

With AFP

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