‘Liz Truss won’t last until Christmas’

Truss’s removal at this point would be unprecedented, yet some Conservative MPs want a confidence vote amid her refusal to backdown on fiscal plans.

Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss Truss infuriated some MPs on Thursday with a round of media interviews in which she signalled that she would hold firm to her plans. Picture: AFP

Conservative MPs believe Liz Truss could be forced out of office before the end of the year.

A former minister predicted that without a U-turn on her mini-budget, Truss would no longer be prime minister by November. Another MP gave her until December.

George Freeman, a former minister, called for an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers to agree to a plan B and said the government was in “serious crisis”.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, and Julian Smith, a former cabinet minister, urged Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, the chancellor of the exchequer, to back down on their fiscal plans, while the Conservative chairman of the Commons Treasury select committee demanded that Kwarteng publish economic forecasts sooner than planned in an attempt to soothe markets.

UK Chancellor of The Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng pictured leaving 11 Downing Street in London, England. Picture: Getty

Truss infuriated some MPs yesterday (Thursday) with a round of interviews with local radio and television stations in which she signalled that she would hold firm to her plans. Two MPs in regions where Truss gave interviews said constituents had complained about her performance on the radio.

We are facing difficult economic times globally.

We must put this country on a trajectory for long-term growth whilst maintaining fiscal discipline.

Cutting taxes will boost investment, creating jobs and opportunities for all.

That is what our Growth Plan will deliver.

— Liz Truss (@trussliz) September 29, 2022

One MP was especially angry because they said they had urged Truss’s team to brief her on local problems before the interviews, but that she then appeared unprepared. The MP said: “She’ll be gone by Christmas. I can’t see this lasting . . . I just think it’s bloody catastrophic. I think she should be thrown out, I really do.”

Even though Truss’s removal at this point would be effectively unprecedented, some Conservative MPs want a confidence vote. Under the rules, she cannot be subjected to one until she has been Conservative leader for a year. She was elected by Conservative members only 25 days ago.

However, MPs believe that if enough letters were sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, to reach a “critical mass”, the committee would change its rules to allow a vote.

“Letters are flying in like there’s no tomorrow (Saturday),” one MP said. A senior backbencher said: “I wouldn’t get hung up about the 12-month rule. I’d say she won’t make it to Christmas.”

This is now a serious crisis with a lot at stake. A time for cool heads & calm leadership.

The economic package of borrowing & tax cuts announced last week clearly can’t command market or voter confidence.

The Cabinet must meet fast to agree with PM & CX a PlanB which can hold. pic.twitter.com/G90tnIq0il

— George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) September 29, 2022

Following the publication of a YouGov poll showing Labour had a 33-point lead over the Conservatives, Freeman said: “This is now a serious crisis with a lot at stake. The economic package of borrowing and tax cuts l clearly can’t command market or voter confidence. The cabinet must meet fast to agree with the prime minister and chancellor a plan B which can hold.”

Mel Stride, Tory chairman of the Treasury select committee, called for the publication of independent economic forecasts to calm the markets. “It is hard to conclude other than that an absence of a forecast has in some part driven the lack of confidence in the market,” he said in a letter to Kwarteng.

My letter to @KwasiKwarteng@hmtreasury earlier today.https://t.co/Gc7sarvmol

— Mel Stride (@MelJStride) September 29, 2022

Ross said that Rishi Sunak, the defeated Tory leadership candidate and former chancellor of the exchequer, had been proved right about his dire predictions for the impact of Truss’s policies but insisted he still had confidence in the prime minister. However, Ross said the impact of increased interest rates, mortgage payments and government borrowing created “an absolutely huge concern” that many people will be left much worse off. “I’m a mortgage payer like the vast majority of people here in Scotland and across the UK,” he said. “That’s a considerable concern.”

The veteran MP Sir Charles Walker ruled out an immediate leadership challenge to Truss but was highly critical of the approach over recent days.

He told Channel 4 News that the party would probably lose an election if one were called. “We’ve made our bed, we’ve got to lie in it,” he said.

The Times