The Secretary of State for Wales became the first high-profile figure to switch sides from Sunak to the opposing camp of Truss. The senior Cabinet minister was backing former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak in the UK prime ministerial contest until Saturday when he decided to switch to the other side.
Buckland wrote in a statement in ‘The Telegraph’ that he now believes Liz Truss is the “right person to take the country forward” and that her plans are the best chance for the UK to reach its potential as a “high-growth, high-productivity economy”.
“As the campaign has moved on, and as I have listened carefully to both candidates, I have thought deeply about the issues that move me and what I want to see the next Prime Minister doing,” writes Robert Buckland.
“Changing your mind on an issue like this is not an easy thing to do, but I have decided that Liz Truss is the right person to take the country forward,” he said.
This defection comes amid the waves of support for Liz Truss, showing her clear lead over her Indian-origin opponent in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as the Conservative leader and prime minister.
Robert Buckland writes: “I know both candidates well and have worked with them in government and in Cabinet… I have looked at ideas and principles first, and personalities second.
“Being honest, levelling with the country is really important given the erosion of trust in politicians and the circumstances around the departure of Boris Johnson. If we’re going to deliver the country through difficult times we need a Prime Minister who has been very clear about the challenges ahead,” he tells the newspaper in an interview.
One of the major criticisms of Sunak is his apparent betrayal of the former Prime Minister, by being one of the first to resign from his Cabinet last month. This sped up his former boss’ exit from 10 Downing Street. However, Buckley defends Rishi Sunak in this matter, arguing that he made the right decision.
“Rishi worked very hard to make the relationship with the Prime Minister work, he’s explained why in the end he couldn’t stay. I’m saying that as someone who was staunchly loyal to the PM,” said Dominic Raab, the current Deputy Prime Minister.
Raab also defended the UK-born Indian-origin former finance minister over attacks on his personal wealth and that of his wife Akshata Murty, daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy.
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