# Make sure national debt is falling

> “Third, we will make sure our national debt is falling so that we can secure the future of public services.”
>
> — Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister, Conservative Party; Speech setting out his five priorities, 4 January 2023

- **Status:** Unscoreable
- **Policy area:** [Running government](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/running-government)
- **Speaker:** [Rishi Sunak](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/rishi-sunak), Prime Minister
- **Party:** [Conservative Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/conservatives)
- **Made on:** 4 January 2023
- **Where:** Speech setting out his five priorities
- **Cost a year:** Not costable
- **Quote source:** https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-on-making-2023-the-first-year-of-a-new-and-better-future-4-january-2023 (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 20 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-national-debt-falling-2023

## Where it stands

The sentence commits to national debt falling but does not say which measure (debt in pounds or as a share of the economy) or by when, so it cannot be scored (Promise standard, section 2). It was the third of five promises in the speech. No body in power is committed to it as worded: the government he led left office on 5 July 2024.

## Timeline

- 4 January 2023, Promised: The Prime Minister makes falling national debt the third of five promises

## Sources

- [Prime Minister's Office: PM speech on building a better future, 4 January 2023](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-on-making-2023-the-first-year-of-a-new-and-better-future-4-january-2023)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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