Liz Truss, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, spoke for the first time as the party’s leader last night (NZT), defending her economic policies and promising to strengthen defence and borders.
She delivered a speech to rally the crowd as she adjourned a turbulent convention in Birmingham, in the heart of England.
Protesters briefly interrupted the address while waving a sign that said, “Who voted for this?” before being hauled out of the conference room by security.
After a four-day meeting that featured government policy reversals, dismal poll results, and open rebellion from lawmakers who fear the party is destined to lose the next presidential election under Truss, who took office just one month ago after winning a party leadership vote, many are in a pessimistic mood.
When it was revealed on September 23, Truss’ first major initiative—a stimulus package that comprises 45 billion pounds in tax cuts that will be financed by borrowing from the government—alarmed the financial markets.
The Bank of England was compelled to step in to support the bond market and prevent a broader economic disaster after the pound fell to a historic low versus the dollar.
The most controversial component of the government’s budget package—a tax cut on income over 150,000 pounds annually—was eliminated on Monday as a result of political and financial pressure. A modest portion of the government’s 45 billion pound tax-cut proposal, this will save roughly 2 billion pounds.
Regarding her economic policies, Truss claimed that she and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng are “in total lockstep.”
Regarding the Scottish National Party and its leader Nicola Sturgeon, Truss also defended her economic policies and pledged to “take down the separatists who seek to rip apart our beloved unity, our family.”
She also repeated Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, when she said that the UK would “stand by our Ukrainian allies for however long it takes.”
Prime Minister Liz Truss of the UK is interrupted by protesters.
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