Tory chairman criticised over Sunak’s broken promises on growing the economy

The Tory chairman faced questions criticising Rishi Sunak’s broken promises on the economy on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Greg Hands appeared on the programme and was asked about the prime minister’s five key pledges to voters ahead of the next general election.

They regarded growing the economy, stopping small boats coming across the Channel carrying asylum seekers, halving inflation, cutting the nation’s debt and bringing down NHS wait times.

When asked about the pledges, Hands said Number 10 was “working very hard” in their efforts to achieve them.

“We are still working very hard in delivering all of the five priorities: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, stopping the boats and reducing hospital waiting lists,” he said.

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However, Kuenssberg pointed out that the UK’s GDP did not grow in February.

“What happened to the economy in February?” she asked.

Hands replied: “Well in February it wasn’t one of the better results, but in January it grew by 0.3 per cent. We had the best growth in the G7 in 2021 and 2022.

“Overall with this Conservative government we’ve got a record to be proud of on growth.”

Earlier in the week, Sunak also admitted that his plan to stop small boats "won't happen overnight" as he refused to guarantee it will come to fruition by the next general election.

Hands faces questions on the UK's slow grown in 2023BBC/Getty

Speaking to Sky News earlier in the day, Hands was honest about the Conservatives’ chances in the upcoming local elections.

“The independent expectations are that the Conservatives will lose more than a thousand seats and that Labour need to make big gains,” he said.

Sunak himself has been preoccupied with the arrival of Joe Biden in Belfast recently, but things didn’t quite go to plan for the PM.

Biden was greeted by Sunak as he arrived in the city for a four-day tour through the UK and Ireland - but people quickly noticed something rather odd as the US president stepped off the plane.

The pair shook hands before Biden seemingly pushed Sunak out the way so he could get to someone else, with the prime minister looking bemused as to where he was supposed to be.

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