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Louise Thomas
Editor
An ITV presenter either failed to recognise or chose to completely blank former prime minister Liz Truss as he reported from Goodwood Racecourse on Friday (2 August).
In a clip that’s gone viral on social media, racing broadcaster Matt Chapman can be seen approaching Scottish millionaire James Hay for an interview.
Truss – who had the shortest premiership in British history in 2022, serving just 45 days in No 10 before she resigned – can be seen standing next to Hay the entire time and smiling at Chapman, who doesn’t acknowledge or address her.
ITV commentator Richard Hoiles can then be heard, in the studio, saying: “That’s Liz Truss, isn’t it?” After a pause, he adds: “It was – my eyes are not deceiving me. This market could crash any minute, couldn’t it?”
In 2022, Truss oversaw the disastrous mini-Budget that sent the markets into freefall.
Many commented with delight at the clip on social media, including the political editor of ITV News, Robert Peston, who tweeted: “So funny.”
Another person commented: “Quite possibly the best video for August and it’s barely begun! Liz Truss totally unrecognised! Yes, Britain. Perhaps we are healing after all!”
A third said: “Oh my god. Oh my god. He didn’t even recognise her. A former prime minister of his country. A very recent one. The commentary at the end too! Greatest clip yet. I am on the floor. I am not sure I will recover.”
In an interview this summer, before she lost her seat in the general election, Truss refused to accept responsibility for her downfall, blaming “unelected officials” in the Bank of England and other forces for her exit from No 10.
“I campaigned in a leadership election on policies that got the support of Conservative party members, policies that in my view were the right policies. I was thwarted in delivering that,” she told the Eastern Daily Press.
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Truss, who has claimed her efforts to cut taxes were “sabotaged” by the “deep state”, denied the accusation she is the worst PM the country has ever had, saying: “The worst prime minister in recent years is Tony Blair who created things like the Equality Act, the Human Rights Act and the Climate Change Act.”
