LIZ Truss is facing a huge backlash from Tory MPs “trying to lob grenades” at her over a string of policies and U-turns ahead of giving her first big speech to party activists.
The Prime Minister will deliver her centerpiece speech at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham on Wednesday, but faces being overshadowed by a series of internal rows and accusations of an attempted “coup” undermining her authority less than one month into the job.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed that Tory MPs had “staged a coup” against the Prime Minister over the humiliating U-turn over abolishing the top rate of income tax for the super-rich in England.
She stressed that former minister Michael Gove “got it wrong” in criticising the tax plans, saying it was “incumbent on him to try and corral support” for Ms Truss and, insisting he should have raised his concerns “in private”.
She added: “I’m very disappointed to say the least by how some of our colleagues have behaved.”
Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch claimed the conference has been “marred” by critics “trying to lob grenades” at the Prime Minister.
She added: “It’s been very frustrating as a Cabinet minister to see how this conference has been marred by people trying to change the narrative against the Prime Minister, what she needs is our support.”
But in another row, Ms Badenoch criticised Ms Braverman for her “inflammatory” remarks.
She told a ConservativeHome event: “I don’t think we should be talking about coups. I think that sort of a language is just too inflammatory.
“People should be able to change their minds without the world coming to an end.”
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was forced into an embarrassing U-turn on Monday after the economy tumbled following his announcement to axe the 45 per cent tax rate in England.
Mr Kwarteng also suggested that his planned financial updated scheduled for November 23 was to be brought forward to the end of this month to allay fears from financial markets.
But in a further chaotic step, the Chancellor said that he will continue as planned with an update next month.
Ms Truss is also facing a revolt within her Cabinet after former leadership rival, Penny Mordaunt, criticised plans not to raise benefits payments in line with inflation.
Ms Mordaunt, who is the Leader of the House of Commons, said it “makes sense” for benefits payments to rise in line with inflation amid speculation Ms Truss’s administration will instead raise payments in line with earnings instead.
Ms Truss and her Cabinet allies have so far declined to say whether welfare payments will be increased in line with soaring inflation, prompting concerns from some senior ex-ministers and backbenchers.
In an intervention that will put further pressure on the Prime Minister, Ms Mordaunt said: “I have always supported, whether it’s pensions, whether it’s our welfare system, keeping pace with inflation. It makes sense to do so. That’s what I voted for before and so have a lot of my colleagues.”
Former Tory Cabinet minister Grant Shapps, who was axed from Ms Truss’s frontbench team, starkly said that “anything is possible” when asked whether the Prime Minister could be ousted less than one month into the job.
Mr Shapps was asked whether it was possible Ms Truss could be replaced if she “does badly”.
He said: “Look, of course anything is possible. Anything is possible.
“But I think she has this opportunity in the next 10 days to reverse some of the problems of the last 10 days. And, for reference, I’m cheering her on to do that. That’s what I want to see happen.”
He suggested some Tory MPs at risk of losing their seats in a general election might consider replacing her with a new leader.
Mr Shapps said: “The question is for Conservative MPs, if they are in any case thinking: ‘Well, I’m going to be out at the next election’, then they might as well roll the dice, as it were, and elect a new leader.”
Ms Truss insisted her frontbench was “unified behind the growth plan” when asked about questions over Cabinet unity.
Asked about internal criticism by Times Radio, she said: “I’m focused on delivering for people and the Cabinet is also fully focused on that too.
“People do interviews all the time at party conference people talk, that’s what happens, but the important point is that we’re all unified behind the growth plan and behind what we have to do to get this country back on track.”
She added: “Well Cabinet ministers have to be able to talk publicly and I’m a believer that we have these discussions, we agree a common position and then we express those views.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel