Liz Truss says she will 'keep taxes low' to voters in Leigh

Inside a hot and sweaty Bedford Social Club on Wednesday, August 10, Ms Truss was quizzed on a range of topics such as the cost of living crisis, the Levelling Up agenda, illegal immigration, and striking trade unions.

As part of a special broadcast for GB News, she was also asked about hyper-local issues such as 'Lexit' (i.e. Leigh's exit from Wigan Council) and what this would mean for local people.

As Leigh turned Conservative for the first time in its history in 2019, the location was chosen to convince local voters that she is the best fit for Prime Minister and can keep hold of the 'red wall' seat in the next general election.

READ > Liz Truss' tax cuts will only benefit wealthiest in society, says Jo Platt

Liz Truss took on questions from voters in Leigh (Pic: Bruce Adams)

What Liz Truss said: 

Opening up the programme, Ms Truss said that the Labour Party had "let Leigh down for years and years and years".

Although the Conservatives have been in power for twelve years, she noted that "lots of parts of the North of England were let down by successive governments."

If chosen as Prime Minister, she promised to bring more infrastructure and investment into the town, as well as improving railway and broadband services to attract enterprise and business.

She added: "As Prime Minister, I will make sure I deliver for Leigh."

Ms Truss spoke to voters on a range of issues (Pic: Bruce Adams)

Cost of living:

Ms Truss said that the "fundamental approach" to tackling the cost of living crisis is to "keep taxes low", a phrase which she repeated throughout the debate.

In addition to placing a temporary levy on energy companies, Ms Truss said that this will keep more money in people's pockets while keeping energy bills down.

She also said she will introduce an emergency budget to tackle the cost of living crisis, yet would not commit to supplying "handouts" of extra financial support to those struggling with bills.

Truss' main policy is to "keep taxes down" (Pic: Bruce Adams)

Taxes:

In order to "keep taxes low", Ms Truss stated that she plans to reverse April's National Insurance rise and cancel the planned corporation tax rises.

These policies have proved controversial, with Labour candidate for Leigh Jo Platt stating that tax cuts would only benefit the wealthiest in society as residents struggle to pay bills during the cost of living crisis.

Others have raised concerns about the price of her tax cuts and green levies, with the BBC reporting that this would cost an estimated £38.5bn a year.

Ms Truss has previously stated that she would help fund her tax cuts by paying off the government's covid debt more slowly.

Liz Truss' hour long debate was broadcast on GB News

Levelling Up:

Ms Truss said that her government will deliver the opportunities necessary to "transform" towns like Leigh.

Noting that people will only trust the government when they deliver, she views Levelling Up as giving people "new jobs, new opportunities and [putting] spades in the ground".

She also said that by improving and increasing the number of schools in areas like Leigh, young people will have more opportunities and life chances when they leave education.

The issue of Lexit received the biggest cheer of the night

Lexit:

The question which got the biggest reaction from the crowd at Bedford Social Club was the issue of 'Lexit'. 

Conservative MP for Leigh James Grundy has previously backed Ms Truss for Prime Minister, stating that an independent council for Leigh is a "non-negotiable requirement".

Referencing Mr Grundy's support for the idea, Ms Truss said: "The role of a council is about local communities and the communities people feel part of.

"There has been too much local government reform that has been top-down [...] and [this has created] council areas where people don't feel that this is the part of the community that they are in."

"If it feels like decision-making powers are taken away from people and exercised by a distant majority, it just doesn't work."

If voted as Prime Minister, Ms Truss said she will look into local government reforms and appoint a local government minister to look into the issue of 'Lexit'.

She did not mention how splitting the local authority would be decided on or funded.

James Grundy MP has shown his support for Liz Truss

Further topics:

Across the hour long debate, a list of issues were brought to Ms Truss' attention, asking how she would tackle the problem if Prime Minister.

Declaring herself as someone who "gets things done", she said she will crack down on illegal immigration, protests and striking workers, and criminal grooming gangs.

GB News' People's Forum with Liz Truss can be found on Youtube here.