麻豆影视

Skip to main content

New U.K. Treasury chief insists Truss retains control

Britain's new Treasury Chief Jeremy Hunt leaves 10 Downing Street after meeting the Prime Minister Liz Trus, in London, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Embattled British Prime Minister Liz Truss sacked her Treasury chief Kwasi Kwarteng and reversed course on sweeping tax cuts Friday as she tried to hang on to her job after weeks of turmoil on financial markets.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezalli) Britain's new Treasury Chief Jeremy Hunt leaves 10 Downing Street after meeting the Prime Minister Liz Trus, in London, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Embattled British Prime Minister Liz Truss sacked her Treasury chief Kwasi Kwarteng and reversed course on sweeping tax cuts Friday as she tried to hang on to her job after weeks of turmoil on financial markets.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezalli)
Share
LONDON -

The new U.K. Treasury chief on Sunday insisted Prime Minister Liz Truss retains control of her government despite having to roll back her signature economic policies weeks into her premiership.

Jeremy Hunt was drafted in to lead the Treasury after Truss sacked Kwasi Kwarteng amid rising pressure following the turbulent market reaction to the new administration's "mini-budget."

"The prime minister's in charge," Hunt, a former foreign and health secretary, told the BBC when he was asked whether he now held all the power at Downing Street.

Truss and Kwarteng had slowly unravelled key elements of their economic vision, including tax cuts for top earners and a halt on corporation tax rises, before the prime minister gave in to financial market instability and tanking polling figures and fired Kwarteng.

Hunt has now said taxation will rise and public spending will shrink, despite Britain's growing cost-of-living crisis.

He said he had been surprised to receive the call to return to the Cabinet, but he was "honoured" to join the government as he shared Truss' desire to prioritize economic growth.

"She has changed the way we're going to get there, but she has not changed the destination, which is to get the country growing," Hunt said.

It remains unclear if Truss, who throughout this summer's leadership campaign secured the support of a majority of Conservative Party members but not of its lawmakers, can ward off any plots to oust her.

Tory lawmaker Robert Halfon told Sky News on Sunday that many colleagues remained unhappy and the situation "has to improve".

Opposition leader Keir Starmer has pressed the Labour party's call for an immediate general election to restore stability, saying the Conservatives are "at the end of the road".

Hunt has suggested an election is not imminent election, saying Truss will be judged on how her government performs over the next 18 months. The Conservatives want to win back the trust of the public before any national vote.

Recent polls have placed the Conservative Party at a vote share of around 25%, a far cry from the 42.4% share they received in December 2019 which handed then-leader Boris Johnson a commanding majority in Parliament.

The current prime minister argued she still held credibility during a four-question news conference on Friday when she announced the appointment of Hunt.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING

A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder is wanted and another suspect is in custody in connection with a double homicide in Ontario last year, United States law enforcement say.

A Montreal business owner will have to pay a hefty fine after he imported a luxury watch without declaring it to customs.

Local Spotlight

John Cantin vividly remembers opening day for his Victoria diner. Stress levels were high, tables were full, and one of the most popular menu items couldn鈥檛 be freed from the unyielding grip of the waffle maker.

A Manitoba professor is warning the public after a book on regional mushrooms that he suspects is AI-generated was delisted from Amazon.

A B.C. judge has issued a decision in a years-long dispute between neighbours that began with a noise complaint over barking dogs, crowing roosters and quacking ducks 鈥 awarding $15,000 in damages to the plaintiffs in the case.

An Ottawa man was arrested after taking a shower in a stranger's house, Ottawa police say.

S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.

The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.

Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.

Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 'proudest accomplishment' of his entire life.

James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.

Stay Connected