20 OCTOBER 2022 | NEWS
Liz Truss has resigned as Prime Minister following last night’s departure of the Home Secretary and allegations of party whips bullying Tory backbenchers.
In a short statement from Downing Street just after 1:30pm, Ms Truss said she would not be able to deliver on the mandate on which she was elected as leader of the Conservative Party.
She has confirmed there will be another leadership election within the next week, following a meeting with 1922 Committee Chair Sir Graham Brady, Deputy PM Thérèse Coffey and party Chair Jake Berry.
Sir Graham has confirmed the party membership will be involved if the contest comes down to two candidates.
Leadership hopefuls must secure at least 100 votes from Conservative MPs in order to qualify for the contest.
If there are more than two candidates, MPs will vote to wittle the contest down to the last two, and members will vote on the final two candidates after hustings that will take place over the next week.
However, if by Monday there is only one candidate, they will be appointed Prime Minister.
Truss’ resignation comes as opposition within the Conservative Party has built up against the Government, following the economic turmoil caused in part by the ‘mini-Budget’ set out by Ms Truss’ first choice for Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng.
Westminster was febrile last night as Suella Braverman, an ally to Truss, resigned as Home Secretary for breaking Ministerial rules, having accidentally sent official documents from a personal e-mail address.
In her resignation letter, Ms Braverman criticised the direction of the Government under Truss and took a swipe at the now former Prime Minister in stating that Ministers should accept responsibility for their mistakes.
Truss was criticised for sacking Kwarteng in the fallout of the ‘mini-Budget’, but not for taking responsibility herself.
It has been reported that Braverman’s resignation followed an extensive dispute with the Prime Minister over immigration policy, with Ms Braverman insisting that immigration needed to be brought down.
The Prime Minister is said to have disagreed, arguing that immigration is needed to encourage growth.
Just hours after the Home Secretary’s departure, it was reported that both the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip were resigning following allegations of aggressive “bullying” and “man-handling” Tory backbenchers during the Opposition’s vote to ban fracking, which the latter lost. However, it was later stated that this was not the case.
These allegations were brought to light by Labour’s Chris Bryant, who urged the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to launch an investigation in the Chamber last night.
It has so far been confirmed that one leadership hopeful, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, will not stand to replace Truss, while speculation builds as to whether former Chancellor Rishi Sunak will put himself forward.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace did not stand in the last leadership race, but is a favourable candidate to replace Truss amongst Tory MPs.
Other names being reported are Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt.
Lobby journalists are reporting that Boris Johnson is also considering a return to Downing Street as a matter of the “national interest”.
In response to Liz Truss’ resignation, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a snap General Election.
