Liz Truss sacked Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor yesterday – just weeks after he followed her orders.
The Tory MP was thrown under the bus by the Prime Minister, despite Truss being a co-author of the disastrous economic policies which have tanked the economy. The Conservative leader remains in office but is now out of power.
The vast majority of Truss’s own MPs can’t stand her and are openly plotting to remove her as quickly as possible. Kwarteng now holds the dubious title of having the second shortest stay in 11 Downing Street in history.
And the only man who lasted even less time as Chancellor wasn’t sacked but instead died in office. The Downing Street press conference called by Truss yesterday to explain herself wasn’t worthy of the name.
She answered only four questions then practically ran off the podium. It was the opposite of leadership. Truss did manage to confirm that a planned increase in corporation tax will now go ahead.
This is despite her having spent months arguing the tax should be cut. Truss routinely called out her Tory leadership rival Rishi Sunak for announcing the tax rise in the first place.
As political U-turns go, this was a gold medal winner for the level of humiliation involved. The Prime Minister’s advisers must realise that every time she appears in public, her authority erodes.
It’s no secret the Daily Record is not a supporter of the Conservatives. But the situation facing the country has reached a crisis point.
The damage caused by Truss and her team of right-wing ideologues in just over a month is hard to comprehend. She should not be allowed to continue in office.
If Truss had any decency, she would call a general election and resign. If Tory MPs have any credibility, they will force her from office and call an election.
Whatever it takes, the public must now be given a say. It is the fault of Conservative Party members that we have been left with Truss in office.
They should never be given that responsibility again. A general election campaign in the depths of winter is not a prospect anyone will relish.
But the importance of removing the Conservatives from office cannot be underestimated. Whenever voters go to the polls, they will remember the party that needlessly weakened the pound and drove up interest rates.
Truss and her team should not be forgiven.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
