London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 06, 2026

Rishi Sunak to review leadership campaign pledges

Rishi Sunak to review leadership campaign pledges

Rishi Sunak will review the pledges he made during his summer Tory leadership campaign, No 10 has said.

The prime minister will examine "whether now is the right time to bring them forward," his spokeswoman said.

Mr Sunak lost to Liz Truss in a ballot of Tory members - but was selected to replace her by Tory MPs when her premiership fell apart.

He announced dozens of policies during his summer campaign, including tax cuts.

But his spokeswoman said the economic "context" had changed since the promises were made.

"We need to take some time to make sure what is deliverable and what is possible," she added.

Unlike his summer campaign, Mr Sunak did not make any policy pledges during the four-day contest to replace Ms Truss as prime minister last month.

His earlier campaign promises included pledges to scrap the 5% VAT rate on household energy bills, and to lower the basic rate of income tax from 20% to 16% before the end of the next parliament.

Mr Sunak also promised to keep April's 1.25p in the pound rise to National Insurance - currently due to be reversed on Sunday in the wake of Ms Truss's mini-budget in September.

He also pledged to place an annual cap on the number of refugees the UK accepts, tighten asylum qualification criteria, and withhold aid from countries that won't take migrant returns.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Sunak sought to reassure his backbenchers that migration was a "priority" for him, as he faced questions over the government's record on asylum claims.

Afterwards the PM's spokeswoman said Mr Sunak remained "committed to the sentiment" of his migration pledges, but confirmed they would form part of the review.

Other summer leadership pledges included:

*  eliminating one-year hospital waiting times by September 2024

*  preventing solar panels being installed on "our best farmland"

*  banning strikes in essential public services

*  blocking new smart motorways, where technology is used to regulate traffic flow

The prime minister has already abandoned his campaign pledge to fine patients in England £10 if they miss GP or hospital appointments.

He has also restored the ban on shale gas fracking in England that was lifted by Ms Truss. During the summer, he said he supported fracking where projects had local consent.

The policy review comes as Mr Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt consider tax increases and spending cuts ahead of a budget on 17 November.

Ahead of the statement, the Treasury has been warning that across-the-board tax increases will be required to ensure the government meets its medium-term targets on spending and debt.

Reports have suggested Mr Hunt could extend a freeze on income tax thresholds, as well as the windfall tax on oil and gas firms.

Ministers have also not ruled out real-terms cuts to pensions and benefits by raising them below the rate of inflation, a move that could save billions.

The government is considering delaying the introduction of a £86,000 lifetime cap on social care costs due to apply in England from October 2023, a government source told the BBC.

The plan includes a more generous means-test for people applying to their local council for financial support.

Groups representing local authorities have been calling for a delay to the introduction of the cap, with warnings of acute staffing and financial pressures on services.

Sir Andrew Dilnot, the architect of a previous cap that was abandoned in 2017, said it would be "astonishing" if the government did delay the cap.

He told BBC Radio 4's World at One it might save money in "the very short term" - but would make no difference to the public finances in the long term if it was eventually applied anyway.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Reform UK and Greens Unite Against Vast Solar Plans for Kent Marshland
New Zealand Draws Wealthy Americans With Revamped Investor Visa
Senate Panel Votes to Hold Anthony Fauci in Contempt After Fifth Amendment Testimony
Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Resigns as University Opens Inquiry Into His Credentials
UK Artificial Intelligence Regulation and Public Infrastructure Investment Remain Key Policy Focus Areas
Kemi Badenoch Faces Criticism Over Appointment of Former Neo-Nazi Linked Figure to Advisory Role
AG Barr Reports £10 Million Sales Loss After Supply Chain and Planning Failures
UK Government Fast-Tracks Specialist Care Pathways for Motor Neurone Disease Patients
UK Government Connects More Than 60,000 Rural Homes and Businesses to Gigabit Broadband
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Forecast After Strong Summer Sales
Metropolitan Police Arrest Woman After Four Men Stabbed in Central London’s Covent Garden Area
UK Procurement Reform and Infrastructure Spending Signal New Focus on Regional Economic Growth
UK Government Expands Global Talent Visa Access for International Researchers and Innovators
NHS Launches £343 Million Expansion of Community Mental Health Centres Across England
UK Treasury Explores Higher Borrowing Capacity for Infrastructure and Housing Investment
UK Cabinet Office Reforms Procurement Rules to Direct £90 Billion of Public Spending Toward Jobs and Skills
UK Government Considers Public Inquiry Into Jeffrey Epstein’s Activities and Possible Institutional Failures
Britain’s AI Safety Institute Finds Advanced Models Creating Fake Identities and Malicious Code During Tests
Lightning Strike Kills Yala FC Player During Match in Southern Thailand
Senate Scrutinises AI-Driven Personalised Pricing
Spain Seeks Mainland Transfers for 1,100 Children Stranded in Ceuta
UK Government Pushes New Procurement, Skills and Technology Policies Amid Economic Pressure
UK Charity Commission Investigates Donations Linked to Israeli Settlement Groups
UK Government Faces Pressure Over Possible Windfall Tax on Bank Profits
South East Water Provides Emergency Support After Kent Supply Disruptions
UK Defence Supports US Operation to Seize Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Green Party Wins First Westminster By-Election Seat in Historic Gorton and Denton Victory
UK Farmers Face Rising Bluetongue Disease Cases Among Sheep Flocks
UK Government Warns Retailers and Fuel Suppliers Against Exploiting Price Pressures
Apple, AI Deepfakes and New UK Rules Highlight Growing Digital Regulation Challenges
UK Education Department Expands Fully Funded Apprenticeships for Under-25s
National Crime Agency and Spanish Police Arrest Scotland’s Most Wanted Fugitive in Madrid
UK Labour Government’s Devolution Plans Renew Debate Over Written Constitution
EY UK Forecasts Weak Growth in 2026 as Energy Risks Continue to Pressure Households
Apple Challenges UK Government Demand for Access to Encrypted iCloud Data
UK Government Considers Public Inquiry Into Jeffrey Epstein Network and Institutional Links
Cabinet Office Reforms UK Government Procurement Rules to Prioritize Local Jobs and Skills
UK Energy Security Faces Pressure From Middle East Conflict and Red Sea Disruptions
UK Government Expands Employment Discrimination Review Amid Labour Market Changes
UK Campaigners Call for Ban on Toxic Flea Treatments Linked to Water Pollution
MI6 Ranked Europe’s Leading Foreign Intelligence Service in Independent Review
Houthi Missile Attack on Saudi Oil Tanker Raises Further Red Sea Shipping Concerns
Palantir Faces UK Tax Criticism After Paying Two Million Pounds in Corporation Tax
Advanced AI Models Show Unexpected Behaviour During UK Cybersecurity Testing
Bank of England Introduces Tougher Artificial Intelligence Testing Rules for Financial Firms
Next Raises Annual Profit Forecast to One Point Two Four Billion Pounds After Strong Summer Sales
New UK Visa Rules Tighten Skilled Worker, Student and Family Migration Routes
UK Government Proposes New Equal Pay Enforcement Powers for Employers
UK High Court Blocks Home Office Deportation Policy for Alleged Trafficking Victims
UK Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Announces Major Reform of NHS Maternity Services
×