CENTRAL DEVON MP Mel Stride is backing former Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership run-off with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

He credits the Chancellor for the substantial support provided to local families and businesses during the pandemic, with grants of £10,000 to more than 2,000 local businesses and eligible organisations, a regular pay packet for 15,000 workers in Central Devon through the furlough scheme, and support for more than 10,000 local self-employed workers through income support worth £27 million. Mr Stride says: ‘Rishi is the right choice, both for Central Devon and for the country.

He is serious about levelling up regions that have been left behind for too long when it comes to Government funding – the tens of millions of pounds he stumped up for the new rail service in our constituency between Okehampton and Exeter via Crediton is evidence of that.’

‘Through the treasury committee I have also spent two years grilling Rishi over the Government’s economic policies and during these robust sessions he has earned my respect.

‘He has an extraordinary eye for detail, listens to other points of view, doesn’t dodge tough questions and genuinely cares about helping people.’

Mr Stride also credited Mr Sunak with making the difficult decisions needed to tackle the growing challenges of social care funding and says it is ‘unsurprising’ that taxes rose during the pandemic but that more recently they have been falling.

He added: ;One difference between the two candidates is Rishi recognises the need to wait until inflation falls before reducing taxes further.

‘To press ahead sooner when inflation is high would just add to price rises, increase interest rates and mortgage costs and make things worse for millions.

‘Of the two candidates, Rishi has also been more vocal on the need to prioritise NHS funding and getting waiting lists down that have built up during the pandemic.

‘He is a thoroughly decent person – conscientious, hard-working, and compassionate – and I hope he will serve as our next Prime Minister.’