" Liz Truss "
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| Liz Truss |
Liz Truss was struggling to keep her position as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Thursday, as more of her own legislators called for her resignation, enraged by a shambolic parliamentary vote and the resignation of her home secretary
Truss was meeting with Graham Brady, the chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, according to Downing Street on Thursday. The group chooses whether or not to call a no-confidence vote in the prime minister.
Conservative member Simon Hoare had earlier informed Truss's administration that it had "12 hours" to "turn the ship around" after a vote on whether to ban controversial fracturing for shale gas degenerated into disarray.
Lawmakers said Truss aides dragged MPs into the voting lobby and forced them to vote against the ban. The vote was initially characterized as a vote of confidence in Truss's government, but it is unclear whether it was. According to PA Media, a Downing Street spokeswoman indicated on Thursday that Conservative legislators who did not vote on Wednesday evening will face disciplinary action.
Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the United Kingdom's House of Commons, has opened an investigation into complaints of bullying and harassment during the vote, according to PA.
Suella Braverman, Truss' home secretary, abruptly resigned after only seven weeks on the job, launching a scathing attack on the PM's leadership.
"The business of government is dependent on people accepting responsibility for their errors." "Pretending we haven't made mistakes, continuing as if no one can see that we have, and hoping that things will miraculously come right is not serious politics," Braverman said in a condemnation of Truss's frequent U-turns on taxes and government spending.
"I'm concerned about the way this government is taking," Braverman added. "Not only have we failed fundamental promises made to our voters, but I have severe doubts about this government's commitment to honoring manifesto obligations."
Truss, who ousted her finance minister just last week after a disastrous and since-abandoned financial plan created market volatility, must now concentrate on making it to the weekend without her own MPs voting to depose her.
Crispin Blunt, a Conservative backbencher, told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday that Truss' position is "wholly untenable," and that she has demonstrated a "lack of self-awareness" in this process.
"And if she doesn't grasp it, I'd be surprised," Blunt remarked. "However, one of the things she has demonstrated in this whole process is a lack of self-awareness, because it should have been evident that she did not have the capacity to lead our party, and I don't think she should have put herself up for the leadership in the first place."
What might happen next?
At least two Conservative legislators have declared that they have written letters of no confidence, though many more are thought to have done so privately. "I had high hopes for Liz Truss, but with what transpired last night, her position has become untenable, and I have filed a letter to Sir Graham Brady," Sheryll Murray tweeted on Thursday, joining colleague William Wragg in publicly publicizing her letter.
"This is a disgrace," Charles Walker told the BBC on Wednesday. "As a Tory MP for 17 years who has never been a minister and who has done his job faithfully most of the time, I believe it's a shambles and a shame." It's very revolting to me."
Truss will face a vote of confidence if the influential 1922 Committee of backbenchers changes its rules to allow one so soon after the leadership vote, but previous prime ministers have been pushed to retire rather than face the humiliation of a successful vote to depose them.
Truss' predecessor, Boris Johnson, narrowly survived a vote of confidence earlier this year. However, he resigned weeks later after scores of ministers and cabinet members resigned, alleging a loss of confidence in his government.
On Thursday, Keir Starmer, the head of the opposition Labour Party, which has a massive lead in opinion polls, reiterated his calls for an early general election. "Britain cannot afford the Tories' mess," he tweeted. "My Labour government will provide the necessary stability and leadership." In terms of our economics. For expansion. For folks who work. "The general election is now."
A vote does not have to be held until at least January 2025, but the likelihood of Britain having its third prime minister since the last election in 2019 would put pressure on Truss' successor to seek a new mandate.
