Rishi Sunak defends conservatives against ‘sleaze addiction’ claims

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Britain’s ruling Conservative Party suffers from an addiction to foolishness and scandal, opposition leader Keir Starmer has said in a heated exchange with Rishi Sunak as pressure on the prime minister mounts.

Unveiling the list of black marks on the Conservatives’ record in government, Mr Starmer sought to paint a picture of a party tearing itself apart over misconduct with a weak leader at its helm.

More than 100 days into his tenure at 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak is being dogged by questions about his handling of the Nadhim Zahawi tax case, the investigation into bullying allegations against Dominic Raab and the line of loan from Boris Johnson.

Despite efforts to push forward his national agenda, including promises to reduce inflation, end illegal immigration and reduce healthcare waiting lists, the Prime Minister’s position is marred by both new and old problems.

Polls suggest his popularity has also been hit by the issues.

The seemingly endless record of sagas is inflicting huge damage on Britain, Mr Starmer said, while attacking Mr Sunak during Prime Ministers’ Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

After 13 years in power, trying to blame Labor for its failure to settle strikes is pathetic, Mr Starmer told MPs. The Conservative parties’ addiction to sleaze and scandal has done enormous damage to this country and the cost to the public continues to mount.

The tax scandal around Nadhim Zahawi continues to plague the Prime Minister. Pennsylvania

The Labor leader then attacked the government’s crime record, saying it resulted in a justice system that let murderers walk the streets, and he said the economy was shrinking faster than Mr. Sunaks.

The International Monetary Fund has announced that the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 0.6% in 2023 and expects it to be the only major economy to contract this year.

Mr Sunak has also been lambasted by reports that his former boss Mr Johnson could get hundreds of thousands of taxpayer pounds to pay his legal bill in the Partygate investigation.

I couldn’t believe it when I saw this [Mr Sunaks] government expects taxpayers to pay Uxbridge MP’s legal costs [Mr Johnson] defending himself for his breach of lockdown rules, Mr Starmer said.

A quarter of a million pounds. Surely this Prime Minister can back down, stand up to his former boss and tell him that he messed up, that he can pay the bill?

Mr Sunak skirted the issue, instead accusing his opponent of cowering in the face of pro-Labour unions carrying out strikes in several sectors.

He can’t stand up to his union bosses, he can’t stand up for Britain’s schoolchildren today and he can’t stand up for the women in his party, the PM has said.

After listing his administration’s priorities, he added: Although he may not even know what he believes in, keep delivering for Britain.

Updated: February 01, 2023, 2:15 p.m.

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