Truss Must Make Speech Of Her Life To Confound Critics

‘Truth is the economy urgently requires a dynamic reset’

- Leo McKinstry

DURING her victorious Tory leadership campaign, Liz Truss promised her Government would “hit the ground running”. She has certainly lived up to that pledge.

With its massive tax cuts worth £45billion, the financial statement by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, her close political ally, sent shockwaves across the political landscape – but not in the way she intended.

As the pound fell and the money markets were gripped by turmoil in response, the worst damage was suffered by her own party. MPs were bewildered, voters disillusioned. Opinion polls at the end of last week gave commanding leads to Labour, including one of an incredible 33 per cent, which, if replicated at the next General Election, would leave the Tories with just three seats.

Less than a month into her premiership, there are now mutterings of rebellion among her backbenchers and even claims that several letters of no confidence have been submitted.

All this forms a sulphurous backdrop to the Conservatives’ conference in Birmingham this week. Hit by dismal ratings, the Prime Minister now has the huge tasks of reassuring the public, calming her party and reasserting her authority.