By Liz Truss’ “handouts” comment triggers partisanship
In an interview with the Financial Times on Friday, Conservative leadership hopeful Liz Truss discussed her approach to helping households weather the cost of living crisis.
As well as ruling out a snap general election and standing by her proposed tax cuts despite the controversial impact on inflation, she emphasised that the best way to handle the energy prices would be through tax cuts and supply-side reforms.
She said, “Of course I will look at what more can be done. But the way I would do things is in a Conservative way of lowering the tax burden, not giving out handouts.”
It is this particular quote that triggered divided responses across the media.
The FT ran the interview under the headline
Truss rejects ‘handouts’ in favour of tax cuts to help households
Liz Truss rejects ‘handouts’ as way to tackle cost of living crisis
Accompanied by a follow-up piece after allies spoke up of media misinterpretation:
Liz Truss accused of second U-turn over cost of living ‘handouts’
- Liz Truss was accused of making a second major U-turn within a week, after her campaign tried to play down suggestions there would be no “handouts” to help millions of struggling people through an already worsening cost of living crisis this winter.
Truss ‘did not rule out payments’ for families
The Daily Telegraph
(front page, print, Aug 8)
Liz Truss ‘misinterpreted’ over ‘no handouts’ remark, her supporters say
This is a cleverly worded headline since it implies support for Truss by covering the misinterpretation angle, but does so in a way that highlights only her supporters believe this.
Tax cuts won’t ‘fully solve’ cost of living crisis, admits Liz Truss ally
The Independent,
implying the idea of instability even amongst Truss’ allies
Truss is ‘misinterpreted’, again
Liz Truss isn’t ruling out more help on energy bills, say supporters
Truss and Sunak at war over cost-of-living: Sunak accuses rival of ‘starry-eyed boosterism’ as poll reveals just 17 per cent of voters want her immediate tax cuts with two thirds say tackling soaring inflation is more important
Liz Truss ally refuses 9 TIMES to back cost-of-living ‘handouts’ in toe-curling interview
Liz Truss: ‘I won’t rule out urgent help on bills’
Current right-wing opinion:
At this point in the race, The Telegraph stands by Truss, The Times by Sunak, The Spectator is increasingly Sunak-leaning, The Daily Mail is still crying over Boris Johnson by comparing him to Caesar but appears to back Truss. The Sun is comparatively neutral, as is the Daily Express and the FT.
Left-wing papers have taken the overall stance of criticism for both sides. It’ll be interesting to see who they end up rallying behind nearer the vote.
