Backbenchers should unite behind Prime Minister, says Badenoch
The International Trade Secretary has said she is focused on helping deliver Liz Truss’s growth plans despite criticism from Tory MPs.
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Tory backbenchers threatening to revolt should unite behind the Prime Minister, Kemi Badenoch has said.
Liz Truss has been facing growing scrutiny from within her own party in recent weeks amid the fallout from her Government’s mini-budget.
Ms Truss met with Conservative MPs at a 1922 Committee meeting on Wednesday, with some backbenchers already talking of a revolt or alternative leadership.
But International Trade Secretary Ms Badenoch urged her party to “get behind” the Prime Minister’s growth plans.
Her comments followed a visit to the Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian on Thursday.
She told the PA news agency: “I think that at the moment, given what is happening globally – there is a war in Ukraine, there’s an inflation crisis, we’ve been talking about the cost of living for several months – what we need to focus on is getting behind the Prime Minister and her growth plans so that she can improve the economy for the country.”
Following the mini-budget, the value of the pound plummeted and polls suggested Labour was well ahead of the Tories in the polls.
Ms Badenoch dismissed talk of a general election and emphasised her own commitment to the Prime Minister’s plans.
When asked by PA if she is concerned about a looming election, she said: “No, that is absolutely not what is on my mind.
I’m very focused on the Prime Minister’s growth agenda, selling exports and making sure that we continue to grow and create jobs for people
“I’m the Trade Secretary and I’m here to talk about trade, to talk about businesses in Scotland.
“I’m very focused on the Prime Minister’s growth agenda, selling exports and making sure that we continue to grow and create jobs for people.
“That is absolutely not the sort of thing that is on my mind at all.”
Following rumours that Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is under pressure to U-turn on proposals to axe the increase to corporation tax from 19% to 25%, Ms Badenoch said people will need to “wait and hear” from the Chancellor later this month.
She said: “The Chancellor is in charge of tax policy and he has been very clear that he is going to be giving a medium term fiscal statement on October 31, so we need to wait and hear what he has to say on that.”
The Chancellor previously abandoned the plan to abolish the highest 45% tax rate last week.
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