Kwasi Kwarteng, the former chancellor, has said he feels “partially responsible” for the Conservatives’ expected electoral rout, but placed the brunt of the blame with prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Kwarteng, who is not standing at the election, was behind the ill-fated “mini” Budget that preceded Liz Truss’s resignation as prime minister in October 2022.
Asked on GB News whether he felt culpable for the Tories’ current electoral challenges, Kwarteng said: “I feel partially responsible.”
But he added: “I don’t feel responsible for leaving D-Day early. I don’t feel responsible for the Reform party, which was on 4 per cent in October 2022, being on nearly 20 per cent now. I don’t feel responsible for the election betting scandal, and nor do I feel responsible for the fact that this election is happening way before anyone expected it.”
