Truss putting millions of vulnerable people ‘at risk of real destitution’, says Sunak

Former chancellor blasts foreign secretary’s focus on tax cuts as ‘moral failure’

Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss was today accused by rival Rishi Sunak of putting vulnerable people “at risk of real destitution” after she indicated she will put tax cuts and fracking above support payments for families facing unaffordable fuel bills.

At a hustings event in Cheltenham, Ms Truss said she wanted to “deal with the issue of high costs”, but insisted she would not spell out how she would do so until she is installed in Downing Street in September.

Asked how she would deal with the cost-of-living crisis which will see millions of Britons facing domestic energy bills of £3,500 or more this autumn, Ms Truss said that “the first thing” she would do is lower taxes.