Damian has issued the following statement on his support for Rishi Sunak:
East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has announced that he is supporting Rishi Sunak for Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister, following the resignation of Boris Johnson.
Rishi Sunak was Chancellor of the Exchequer until earlier this month. He previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and prior to that at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Damian said:
“Rishi Sunak has consistently delivered in exceptionally challenging circumstances.
“In short order, Rishi put in place the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. It supported and saved 11.6 million jobs. Nobody should underestimate the significance of this. It meant that the deepest recession in 300 years saw the smallest rise in unemployment of any recession in living memory.
“Many jobs in East Hampshire will have been saved by the furlough scheme and business support initiatives.
“We are now faced with new and different economic threats. Rishi has already demonstrated, with the Cost of Living Payments, that he is prepared to take serious action.
“Rishi has a strong vision to strengthen our economy and widen opportunity. And he has the character and experience to make it happen.”
Damian also welcomes that Rishi is fully committed to Net Zero by 2050 and is firmly committed to strong defence spending, as well as to continuing our steadfast support for Ukraine.
As a rural MP himself, Rishi understands the rural economy and challenges faced by farmers and rural communities.