Tory Leadership Battle: Debate Presenter Faints, Truss Pulls Ahead of Sunak

    Image copyright: AFP [via The Telegraph]

    The Facts

    • A UK Conservative Party Leadership debate between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak was cut short on Tues. when Kate McCann, the debate's presenter, fainted live on-air. It was later confirmed that she wasn't hurt.

    • Before the incident, the candidates faced scrutiny over a failing NHS and an intensifying cost-of-living crisis. Sunak pledged to introduce a £12B tax to fund social care as PM, with Truss saying a tax would be "morally wrong" as people are struggling.


    The Spin

    Left narrative

    The only real winner of these debates is the Labour Party. Such ferocious and ad hominem attacks - such as the attention drawn to multimillionaire Sunak's exclusive education - are making the Tories look more divided than ever. Only Keir Starmer can solve the current problems of tax, social care, and public spending.

    Right narrative

    So-called "blue-on-blue" attacks are not harming the Conservative Party. On the contrary, these debates are an organized and democratic way of demonstrating that the party has a broad appeal, with diverse political philosophies that strengthen its governance. Labour should regret ever having forced Johnson down.


    Metaculus Prediction


    Public figures in this story


    Political split

    LEFT

    RIGHT

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