Londoner’s Diary
Liz Truss is often paid tens of thousands of pounds to make keynote speeches at Right-wing conferences in the USA, but last night she was at a community theatre in Beccles, Suffolk, to talk to a small crowd about her book, Ten Years to Save the West.
Things went south towards the end of the talk, during the Q&A. Just as the former PM was praising Donald Trump and quoting the Clinton adviser who said “It’s the economy, stupid”, a banner emblazoned with a lettuce and the words “I crashed the economy” descended onto the stage behind her head.
We just dropped in on Liz Truss’s pro-Trump speaking tour with a remote-controlled lettuce banner. She didn’t find it funny. 🥬 pic.twitter.com/jtSqaxycfF
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) August 13, 2024
Truss, who happened to be sporting a baby gem green dress, did not take kindly to the stunt. “That is not funny,” she repeated, before storming off the stage to a smattering of laughter and applause.
Political activist group Led By Donkeys have taken responsibility for the prank, which has gone viral online. But not everyone is happy. “As a Conservative supporter I’m disgusted at the group targeting normal Conservative people,” one audience member from nearby Great Yarmouth told The Londoner, adding that most of the attendees were “Liz Truss supporters”.
There was a heckler at the start who was unconnected with Led By Donkeys, but apparently Truss was receiving “round of applause after round of applause” otherwise. The audience member said that he went to Beccles Police Station earlier hoping to give evidence, but no one was there.
The theatre has denied having any prior knowledge of the prank and said they will “co-operate with any investigation”.
Truss has reiterated that the stunt “was not funny” in a post on X. “This is done to intimidate people and suppress free speech. I won't stand for it,” she said. “Would we see the same reaction if the activists were far-right?”
