Rishi Sunak was confronted over why nothing works and public services are on their knees as he claimed the country is better off after 14 years of Tory rule.
The out of touch Prime Minister insisted the UK was a “better place to live than in 2010” as he desperately tried to defend his party’s record in Government. But in a tough grilling on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he was forced to listen to messages from viewers tearing into the state of the nation after successive Tory Governments.
Asked if the UK was a better or worse place to live than in 2010, Mr Sunak said: “It’s a better place to live than it was in 2010. Of course I understand that the last few years have been difficult for everyone. We’ve had a once in a century pandemic followed by a war in Ukraine that drove up everyone’s bills. Of course that’s been difficult for everyone.”
The presenter then confronted him with messages from viewers. Julian said: “Why, oh why isn’t anything working? It grieves me sorely to see the state this country has degenerated into??”
Another viewer, Michael, wrote: “Why does my son’s school not have enough money for glue-sticks? Why do I have potholes on almost every road I drive on? Why can’t I get a doctor’s appointment? Why are the beaches closed when it rains and rivers polluted beyond measure?”
Sheila, another voter, said: “Our worry isn’t about tax. It’s about having the basics.”
Ms Kuenssberg asked the PM: “Can you say to our viewers this morning that you can do anything about how they feel? Do you understand it?”
Mr Sunak replied: “Yes, of course I do. My first answer to you I acknowledged the frustration that people felt. Of course it’s been difficult when inflation rises to the highest level we’ve seen in decades, when energy bills double because of the war in Ukraine. Of course that has an impact on Sheila and everyone else.”
He said he was working hard to deliver financial security and vowed to cut taxes for people at every stage of their lives. The PM did not mention that experts said tax burden is on course to hit the highest levels since the Second World War after the Budget in March.
Challenged on that point, he said the pandemic required massive levels of public spending – and said “not a single person disagreed with that support”. He added: “Very understandably, we have to pay that back. That’s why I took the difficult decisions that I did. I was upfront about that at the time.”