RISHI Sunak has boasted that he will undo funding given to “deprived urban areas”, redirecting these to wealthy towns in a recently uncovered video.
In a video shared with The New Statesman, apparently from July 29, the Tory PM hopeful said: “I managed to start changing the funding formulas, to make sure that areas like this [Kent] are getting the funding they deserve.
“We inherited formulas from the Labour Party, that shoved all the funding into deprived urban areas. That needed to be undone: I started the work of undoing that.”
EXCLUSIVE : A video shared with the New Statesman showed Sunak boasting to Conservative Party members that he was prepared to take public money out of “deprived urban areas” to help wealthy towns. pic.twitter.com/WLMPJFnz9P
— The New Statesman (@NewStatesman) August 5, 2022
Sunak made the comments speaking to grassroots Tory members at Tunbridge Wells in Kent in July. The average house price in the town sits at almost double the national average at £528,459.
Tory figures were divided over the remarks, while Labour said it was “scandalous” footage.
Speaking to The New Statesman, UK shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said: “This leadership race is revealing the Conservatives’ true colours. It’s scandalous that Rishi Sunak is openly boasting that he fixed the rules to funnel taxpayers’ money to prosperous Tory shires.
“This is our money. It should be distributed fairly and spent where it’s most needed – not used as a bribe to Tory members.”
SNP shadow chancellor Alison Thewliss MP said: "Rishi Sunak has been honest with Tory party members about his plans for the future, but not with the general public.
"Beyond the rhetoric, it's clear that regardless of who becomes the next Prime Minister, their goal is to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
"With the Westminster government failing to properly tackle the cost of living crisis, it's clear that Scotland needs the full powers of independence more urgently than ever, to properly protect households and build a fairer and more prosperous society."
Professor of Law and Government at Durham Law School, Thom Brooks, commented tweeting: "This isn't only damning for @RishiSunak. Remember @trussliz was in Cabinet as Foreign Secretary at same time. Unlike Sunak, Truss never resigned and remained faithfully supportive of the government."
UK Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith said Sunak's comments were "one of the weirdest - and dumbest - things I've ever heard from a politician".
This is one of the weirdest - and dumbest - things I’ve ever heard from a politician https://t.co/lxFzrHGeYY
— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) August 5, 2022
Meanwhile Jake Berry, the chairman of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, said that in public Sunak “claims he wants to level up the North, but here, he boasts about trying to funnel vital investment away from deprived areas”.
“He says one thing and does another – from putting up taxes to trying to block funding for our armed forces and now levelling up,” the Truss supporter added.
Sunak’s campaign did not dispute the video and instead defended its content.
“Levelling Up isn’t just about city centres, it’s also about towns and rural areas all over the country that need help too. That’s what he changed in the green book and he will follow though as prime minister,” a source said.
“Travelling around the country, he’s seen non-metropolitan areas that need better bus services, faster broadband or high quality schools. That’s what he’ll deliver as prime minister.”
The remarks from last week came as Sunak tries to make up ground against Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to win the backing of party members who will choose the next prime minister.
Sunak’s supporters have been rallying around him, with Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen arguing Boris Johnson led the party to electoral victory on a pledge to invest in areas “that have been ignored at the expense of urban cities”.
