It’s increasingly clear we will not have the calibre of leader to get us through this crisis, says Alex Phillips

It’s increasingly clear we will not have the calibre of leader to get us through this crisis, says Alex Phillips
alex phillips mono tory leadership
Alex Phillips

By Alex Phillips


Published: 22/08/2022

- 10:32

Updated: 22/08/2022

- 12:03

All the talk of energy self sufficiency and not a single move has been made to drill for North Sea gas

As Sunak and Truss continue their vanity tour this summer and Boris suns himself on his second holiday, gimmicky t-shirts over heaving moobs, the list of what needs to get done, and get done PDQ, piles up.

Stark headlines pepper the pages of the business sections and industry rags. Companies may be forced to close when the energy price cap is lifted in October.


Alex Phillips has expressed her cynicism over the ability of the Tory leadership candidates.
Alex Phillips has expressed her cynicism over the ability of the Tory leadership candidates.
Image: GB News

The backbone of Britain could buckle under the burden of power costs the likes of which haven’t been seen since the three day week.

And what is actually being done, as desperate factory owners run their fingers down the ledger and can't make the sums add up?

All the talk of energy self sufficiency and not a single move has been made to drill for North Sea gas.

The geological survey commissioned on fracking in April has not been translated into action.

While we scoffed at German reliance on Russian gas, the EU has a framework in place to deal with severe shortages allowing governments to intervene over spiralling prices.

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are approaching the final throes of the Tory leadership race.
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are approaching the final throes of the Tory leadership race.
PA

No such plan exists here. We don’t even have a government. And while the cost of petrol has sunk in many European countries, the price in Britain is sky high as the pound slumps against the dollar, political turmoil straining confidence in our currency.

At a time of crisis, we not only have no leadership, but a leadership contest destabilising us further, the trash talks hardly calming the nerves of the very investors we need to fuel the growth both would be leaders are promising. A zombie government overseeing our death stagger to doom.

Rather than powering up, we look set to power down. Both candidates emulating Margaret Thatcher should ask themselves what the Iron Lady would do. Make cheesy campaign videos and rehearse funny quips, or call the whole thing off?

If there’s one thing she got, it was the political capital to be made in a crisis. And a crisis we have indeed. But it’s increasingly clear we will not have the calibre of leader to get us through it.

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