Liz Truss, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, resigned as Prime Minister today as she is the leader with the fastest passage through Downing Street, the seat of government. She resigned after 45 days as prime minister but will remain in office until her successor takes over.
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman handed in her resignation yesterday, criticizing the government. It was the second change of minister in Truss’ brief government. First was Finance, Kwasi Kwarteng, who was sacked last week after spearheading a controversial economic plan.
Understand the crisis that led to the downfall of Truss:
The plan failed and put pressure on the prime minister. Truss won the race to replace Boris Johnson with a platform of big tax cuts to spur growth. She also pledged to spend billions on subsidies for energy bills, which have increased by more than 300% over the past two years. Like others, the country is confronted with the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the effects of the pandemic.
But the lack of any details on how the cuts would be funded sent markets into meltdown.
The pound also fell and the cost of government debt soared, pushing up interest rates on loans to households and businesses. The Bank of England had to intervene to prevent the situation from escalating into a financial crisis, with a massive longterm debtbuying programme.
Last week, new Treasury Secretary Jeremy Hunt rolled back all the changes announced by the Prime Minister, deepening the crisis in the government but signaling “peace” to the financial market.
One of the key decisions is that helping families pay energy bills will be capped at six months instead of the two years promised by Truss and the former minister.
Hunt would detail Oct. 31 how the executive branch intended to reduce debt over the medium term, another opportunity to calm markets and try to restore economic direction.
Allies called for Liz Truss to step down. Trusscritical members of the Conservative Party called for the Prime Minister’s resignation. With her resignation, she will remain in office until a successor is elected. To do this, a new internal Conservative Party process will have to be organized less than two months after the end of the previous one.
However, the party can avoid further long fraternal battles if it rallies around a successor chosen by consensus. Thus, in 2016 after the Brexit referendum Theresa May succeeded David Cameron after all her opponents had withdrawn.
However, prior to today’s retirement announcement, Truss showed no signs of retiring.
“I’m here because I was elected to work for this country,” she said. “And I’m determined to do that,” he declared at a legislative session.
Another noconfidence vote? The current rules of the British Conservative Party protect any new leader from an internal vote of no confidence in the first 12 months of his term.
This process is the same process Boris Johnson went through following the scandals over his attending parties during lockdown. Boris was saved, but the exposure of the process contributed to the deterioration of his image with the British.
After the 12 months, 15% of the 357 Conservative MPs that is 54 have to send a letter to trigger this vote.
However, the powerful 1922 committee responsible for the internal organization of the Conservative bench of Parliament has the power to change the rules. It remains to be seen at which threshold a motion of no confidence will be triggered.
In the event of defeat, if Truss stayed in office, she would immediately lose leadership of the party, but would remain prime minister until a successor was elected.
Labor is gaining ground and the dissolution of Parliament could hit the Conservatives. In the UK parliamentary system, MPs can also vote against the budget provided by the Prime Minister.
In this case, the head of government is expected to resign or ask the monarch, King Charles III, to dissolve parliament, synonymous with general elections.
In the polls, Labor opposition is at its best in decades. Some polls predict the Conservatives would lose hundreds of seats.
It therefore seems unlikely that enough Conservative MPs will join the opposition to hold elections that are likely to be disastrous for the party, which has been in power for 12 years.
internet joke. The predictions weren’t good and Truss tried to equalize as best he could. His stay became the subject of memes and jokes across the internet.
One tabloid already compared its shelf life in Strom to that of a lettuce plant bought at the local supermarket. In a live broadcast they ask: Who survives 10 days? The lettuce plant or Liz Truss? The live should end on Sunday. The prime minister has fallen before.
The Daily Star tabloid is ‘competing’ for survival: will Liz Truss hold on to the post of PM longer than a 10day suspended lettuce?
Image: reproduction
*With information from Portal, AFP and RFI