Jeremy Hunt tells Brexiteer inventor Sir James Dyson to ‘stand for election’ in fiery exchange

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Jeremy Hunt has been concerned in a livid row with billionaire inventor James Dyson in a tense assembly about analysis and improvement, it has been reported.

Mr Hunt is known to have informed Sir James Dyson – inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner – “If you think you could do a better job, why don’t you just stand for election?” in what has been described as a “fiery” exchange by insiders.

Sir James met Mr Hunt to focus on tax reduction after the enterprise mogul made a collection of public remarks concerning the authorities’s method to entrepreneurship, in accordance to the Financial Times.

One particular person accustomed to the assembly between the chancellor and the entrepreneur informed the FT it was “fiery”, whereas one other mentioned: “It was an awful meeting.”

However, a Treasury insider is alleged to have disputed the outline of the encounter, describing it as a “good, robust discussion”.

The outspoken Brexiteer has been extremely crucial of Rishi Sunak’s method to authorities because the prime minister has tried to reconfigure the UK as a number one energy in science and innovation and pitch London as the brand new “Silicon Valley”.

Though the Conservatives had as soon as been seen because the definitive occasion of enterprise, Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have been courting enterprise by assembly company leaders throughout the nation.

According to one Whitehall insider, Sir James has been forthright with the federal government about views on their financial insurance policies.

The supply mentioned: “He keeps sending quite aggressive letters. He’s quite forthright in his views, both publicly and privately”.

Writing in the Times final yr, Sir James mentioned that ministers “talk hubristically” about making Britain a science and tech “superpower”, whereas overseeing “woeful policies”.

The billionaire inventor – who relocated to Singapore earlier than returning to the UK in 2019 – warned he’s investing in “forward-looking economies” that encourage “growth and innovation” and hit out at “rocketing corporation tax” and “damaging legislation on working from home.”

He has additionally praised the tax-cutting insurance policies of former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and Liz Truss, telling the Telegraph: “I thought they were doing the right thing – I’m the only one who did”.

Mr Kwarteng’s 2022 mini-Budget triggered turmoil in the UK financial markets by promising unfunded tax cuts whereas former prime minister Liz Truss was compelled from workplace not lengthy after.

A Treasury spokesperson refused to touch upon the assembly whereas a Dyson spokesperson mentioned: “We never comment about private meetings.”